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Boarded out children must be acknowledged says Kerry survivor 

Jan 18, 2021 13:42 By radiokerrynews
Boarded out children must be acknowledged says Kerry survivor 
photograph with the permission of James Sugrue
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The State and the Catholic Church need to acknowledge the abuse and exploitation suffered by children who were boarded out to live with families. That'

The State and the Catholic Church need to acknowledge the abuse and exploitation suffered by children who were boarded out to live with families.

That's according to James Sugrue from Ballybunion who was boarded out to a farming family in Kerry in the 1960s.

James and his two brothers, Michael and David, were sent to the County Home in Killarney in 1959 after their mother abandoned them.

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When James was eight, he and Michael were boarded out - under this system, children in institutions were fostered out to farmers to help them with farming and household duties. The families were paid for taking the children.

James and his brother were separated and lived in two different households; both suffered violence; James was also sexually abused.

After Michael's death, neighbours told James they'd heard his late brother's screams when he was being beaten.

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James Sugrue says last week's report into mother and baby homes didn't say enough about the abuse suffered by children who were boarded out.

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Mr Sugrue is in favour of a compensation scheme, however, his main concern is an acknowledgment of the damage done to children who were boarded out.

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