'Gardaí must investigate St John of God chief' urge internal and external critics

Extra.ie​

06-07-2025

The leader of the St John of God order in Ireland should face criminal investigation for the reckless endangerment of children who were abused by a notorious paedophile, internal and external critics believe.
Speaking to Extra.ie this weekend, former HSE board member Fergus Finlay said this newspaper's revelations about a St John of God cover-up that allowed children to be abused in Africa should be criminally investigated.
'Gardaí should be investigating that with the view to bringing charges of reckless endangerment,' he said. Mr Finlay is just one of the growing ranks of critics of the order's response to the revelations on Extra.ie last weekend. Br Donatus Forkan. Pic: Tom Honan.
These include international funders of the order Kindernothilfe (KNH), a senior medical consultant, Paul Moran, who works for the order, and victims of St John of God, Brother Aidan Clohessy. Together, they have demanded that Donatus Forkan, the Provincial of the St John of God order, resign or be removed from any service provision role pending the outcome of any criminal inquiry.
KNH is one of Europe's largest children's charities and a vital funder of St John of God's operations in Africa. But when the main Irish funder of St John of God (SJoG) – the HSE – was asked for its view on our revelations and Br Forkan's position, they instead directed our questions back to the order.
Last week, Extra.ie published harrowing stories of child abuse victims from Malawi who had been abused by serial paedophile Clohessy, who was sent into their midst by Br Forkan in 1993 until his removal from public ministry in 2012. Irish Provincial Brother Donatus Forkan, pictured far left, joined Br Aidan, centre, when an extension to a college of health sciences was opened. Pic: File
On June 23 and 24, Clohessy was sentenced to more than five years in prison for the historical abuse of six children at St Augustine's, a school for the intellectually disabled in South Co. Dublin, where Clohessy was a teacher and then principal between 1969 and 1993.
Our reporting revealed that while in Malawi, Clohessy continued to abuse as his superiors oversaw secret settlements to victims back home and told the authorities he had no access to children. Knowingly placing children in danger has been a crime in Ireland since the enactment of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.
By law, a person can be prosecuted for recklessly endangering a child 'by causing or permitting any child to be placed or left in a situation which creates a substantial risk to the child being a victim of serious harm or sexual abuse.' Br Aidan Clohessy. Pic: Collins Courts
Mr Finlay – a former CEO of children's charity, Barnardos – said that in his experience of the St John of God order, 'money matters to them almost more than anything else.' He called on Br Forkan to step down immediately from any role involving services to vulnerable children and adults.
As Provincial of his order, Br Forkan remains a long-standing board member of the St John of God Hospitaller Services Group. This entity is a parent company to St John of God Community Services, a charity for intellectually disabled children and adults, funded entirely by the HSE to the tune of hundreds of millions annually.
Mr Finlay told Extra.ie: 'I strongly believe – strongly believe – that he should step down or step aside from or be removed from every position of authority in relation to the provision of services. What the order does is entirely a matter for the order, as far as I'm concerned, but the service provision end of it, the publicly funded companies that are involved in providing services, he should not be a director of those under any circumstances.' St. John of God House of Hospitality, Mzuzu, Malawi. Pic: Sean Dwyer
Asked if the HSE should insist Br Forkan be removed, Mr Finlay replied: 'If necessary yes, but I think the board, in the first instance, should address that, if they have the wherewithal to do that.' However, as of last night, both the board of the St John of God Hospitaller Services Group and the HSE were refusing to address the issue.
When asked about Br Forkan's position, the HSE said we should redirect our questions to St John of God itself. St John of God, meanwhile, had no comment to make about Br Forkan's position. This silence is in stark contrast to the willingness of international funders and senior medical staff within the St John of God group to speak up – even at some risk to themselves.
Paul Moran, a consultant psychiatrist employed by St John of God, told Extra.ie: 'I am aware that in coming forward, I may be putting myself at risk, professionally, but in light of the inadequate response from the organisation, I feel I must speak out and ask questions. St. John of God Hospital in Stillorgan. Pic: Chris Bacon
'I am anxious not to scare current service users and want to reassure them that the service safeguards are better now than they were, but we have a situation where, in the shadows, we have this order which sits above the management of these services and has power and control and is basically under the direction of one of the main guys who allowed this to happen.
'So, while the service is committed to protecting people, the people they report to have a record of not doing so, and that raises a question as to who is in a position to guarantee that the required standards are met.'
Mr Moran questioned whether Br Forkan should be allowed to have a role in governing services. 'In light of what has been revealed and what has been proven in court, his role needs to be investigated. And until such time as these investigations are concluded, should he be allowed an active role in governing services for vulnerable people?' Br Aidan Clohessy. Pic: Collins Courts
Mr Moran also criticised the manner in which the St John of God order had spent millions on private settlements with Clohessy's victims in Malawi and Ireland. He said the order 'appears more committed to looking after the interest and reputation of the order ahead of everything else, including the rights and safety of victims'.
He added: 'Paying off of victims to prevent court cases happening is not consistent with any of the policies or safeguarding guidelines, or the stated values of the order.'
One of the order's main international funders – German children's charity KNH – last night welcomed Clohessy's prosecution. 'It is crucial that cases of sexual abuse are consistently pursued through legal channels and that perpetrators are held accountable, regardless of when or where the offences were committed,' a spokesperson said.
'Our deepest sympathies go out to the victims. Their voices deserve to be heard, justice must be served, and their protection ensured. Protecting children must always be the highest priority in any society and institution.' KHN also called for Br Forkan to be investigated for recklessly endangering children.
'With regard to Brother Donatus, it is in our view now urgent that an independent and transparent review of all related events be conducted,' a KNH spokesperson told Extra.ie. 'We think an independent investigation into Donatus Forkan's role in sending and tolerating Brother Aidan's presence in Malawi is a necessary step after the court ruling.
'This is essential not only to clarify responsibility but also to draw structural consequences and improve systems for child protection,' the charity said.
KNH added: 'Religious institutions, like all other institutions, must never evade responsibility or remain silent. Instead, they must implement effective child protection systems. All known abuse cases must be fully investigated and published, regardless of the perpetrator's position or rank.
'Those who have failed – whether through active cover-up or neglect – must be held accountable. Abuse must never be dealt with internally. External, independent bodies are needed to investigate and monitor incidents.'
Clohessy's victims this weekend said more investigations and prosecutions are required. Abuse survivor Joe Devine said Clohessy should be prosecuted for the abuse he committed in Malawi. 'There should be a trial, the same way there was a trial here in Ireland,' he said.
Mr Devine's wife, Sally, also said Br Forkan should be investigated. 'Although I know he wasn't actually carrying out the abuse, he was complicit in allowing it to go on.'
Another survivor, Patsy Carville, criticised the Church authorities. 'It's the Catholic Church you have to blame,' he said. He [Clohessy] was told not to go near children, and he was there for 20 years. It's a disgrace nobody checked up on him,' he said.
Victim Wayne Farrell said the abuse of children in Africa was 'horrendous'. 'I think justice should be done for them here, and I'd like to hear something from the Irish Government on it,' he said.
Another victim, Gerry Quinn, said the role of Br Forkan needed to be exposed. 'He needs to be exposed and the people who backed him, they need to be exposed as well. That monster [Clohessy] was left roam free over there.'
The State child and family agency, Tusla, said it could not comment on any individual case. However, a spokesperson said: 'Organisations who are providing services to children have a statutory responsibility under the Children First Act 2015 to keep children safe from harm while availing of those services, carry out a risk assessment, prepare and publish a Child Safeguarding Statement and to refer any concern regarding a child to Tusla.
'When Tusla suspects that a crime has been committed, and a child or children have been wilfully neglected or physically or sexually abused, Tusla notifies An Garda Síochána where they investigate the crime.'
Extra.ie also contacted the Department of Health, whose spokesperson advised that the Department of Children should be contacted for comment. However, that department did not respond. A spokesperson for the Association of Leaders of Missionaries & Religious of Ireland declined to comment last night – but confirmed that the matter would be referred to the next meeting of the executive.
Last week, the SJoG order refused to comment on its role in the cover-up of Clohessy's crimes in Ireland and Africa. Instead, Br Forkan posted a brief statement on the St John of God website. He said in the statement: 'I apologise to anyone who has experienced hurt in our services in the past. 'As a community, we unequivocally condemn any action that harms or diminishes others.
'These recent times have reflected pain for so many and brought emotional turmoil for all affected. We think especially of those who came forward to report hurt that they had experienced, we acknowledge their bravery and courage and we think of their families and loved ones.'
This week, a spokesperson for St John of God declined to specifically address queries about the role of Br Forkan. 'The order encourages anyone who has experienced hurt to seek support and talk with the authorities,' he said, before providing abuse helpline phone numbers.