140 victims of beast Shine in new fight for compo

Bid to stop nuns from cash pot move

- JOHN KIERANS

OVER 140 victims of perv doctor Michael Shine are fighting a new battle for compensation over the sex abuse he inflicted on them.

They are trying to stop a religious order from removing money from an Indemnity Fund specifically set up to pay for any child abuse claims against the State at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

The 90-year-old paedo, released from jail a year ago, molested young male patients there for decades.

It has been confirmed €1.6million was put into the fund by the Medical Missionary of Mary nuns when they sold the hospital to the State in 1997 and it was subsequently looked after by investment managers.

But Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has refused to say how much is currently in it.

He also won't tell the victims the name of an Independent Reviewer who has recently been appointed to consider a withdrawal of money from the fund.

The issue was raised with the Health Minister in a series of written Dail questions on behalf of the victims by Louth Labour TD Ged Nash amid fears an attempt will be made to take money from the fund by the nuns leaving nothing for the victims.