The Christian Brothers have said that an intention in their frustrated attempt to sell lands at Monkstown College, Co Dublin, was to meet "major expenses connected with the Ryan Commission and the Redress Board", writes Patsy McGarry, Religious Affairs Correspondent
Other reasons included "funding of the development of new missions, particularly in marginalised situations, in Ireland and overseas".
They were responding last night to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council's stance on Monday to "postpone indefinitely" a decision on lifting a restrictive order on the sale of lands at the college. The proposed sale of 1.4 acres at Monkstown, with planning permission and a value estimated at €9 million, was opposed by the college principal, Mr Pat Keating, and parents.
In 1958 the land was handed over to the Brothers by the council in exchange for property at Sallynoggin, but with an order restricting its use to educational purposes. The Brothers recently applied to the council to have this overturned to allow sale of the land for residential development.
Last night the Brothers said Monkstown College was a private fee-paying school which had "already benefited considerably from rent-free occupation of the buildings and grounds for more than 50 years". It would also be "one of the beneficiaries in the event of the sale of any of the land which currently forms part of the total property", comprising 5.5 acres of college grounds and 5.6 acres of sports fields.
They said that in 1999 the college board of management examined options to raise funds for development at the school and had obtained valuation of two sites on the property. The board had acknowledged "that sale of some land may have to become part of the equation unless alternative sources of funding are found". The disposal of some land there was raised by the board with the trustees.
The Brothers were responsible for the administration of the trust, they said, and were "at all times bound to maximise the value of the trust's assets for the benefit of the total trust".
They acknowledged they "now need to urgently realise the value of some assets so as to exercise (their) proper responsibilities to the trust", and would consider all options open to them following the county council decision.