Christian Brothers reject Prime Time reports

The Christian Brothers have rejected allegations made in a recent Prime Time programme, broadcast on RTÉ One. The programme focussed on sexual abuse by Christian Brothers in Canada.

The Christian Brothers have said the programme broadcast untruths about their wealth in Canada and their international company registered in Ireland, Richmond Newstreet.

The second part of the Prime Time documentary, "Betrayal", broadcast late last month, dealt with abuse by Christian Brothers in Canada of 150 residents in their institutions there. Facing claims amounting to $30m, the Canadian Congregation said it could not pay, and went into voluntary liquidation.

But Prime Time uncovered an internal report, which valued the Canadian assets at over $100m.

Today, at their Dublin headquarters, the world leader of the Brothers said that internal task force figure was an estimated value placed, by one member of the Task Force, on properties. Brother Edmund Garvey said that many of the properties did not belong to them.

The programme also featured David Wingfield, lawyer for the liquidator, accusing the Brothers of protecting their assets from claims by their victims, and casting suspicion on the role of their international company, Richmond Newstreet, which is registered in Ireland.

Prime Time reported that, at one point, Brother Garvey proposed moving Vancouver College's shares offshore to Richmond Newstreet. The Order's lawyers cautioned against this. Ultimately, they decided against the strategy.

Brother Garvey said today there was an effort to clarify who owned the properties, and he specifically ordered that the assets should not be moved out of British Columbia.

In response, RTÉ has stood by the statements made in the broadcast. It said the invitation for Brother Garvey to be interviewed by Prime Time remains open.

"The Christian Brothers today denied that any of their Canadian assets were transferred offshore to Richmond Newstreet. The Liquidator, David Wingfield, clearly is not convinced. RTÉ believe an examination of the audited accounts of Richmond Newstreet since its incorporation in 1994 would finally clarify this matter," RTÉ said in a statement.

RTÉ absolutely refutes Brother Garvey's remarks about so-called "hidden agendas". Sexual abuse of children and the response of any organisation responsible are matters of the gravest public concern, and are rightly the subject of RTÉ's current affairs output.