The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the Irish government failed in its duty to protect a girl from sexual abuse at a Catholic run state primary school.
The European Court of Human Rights building in Strasbourg. Photo: AFP (file)
The case was brought by a woman who was abused by her head teacher when she was a pupil in 1973.
Louise O'Keeffe was sexually abused when aged nine by the principal, who was a lay teacher, at Dunderrow national school in County Cork in 1973.
The BBC reports she took her case to the European Court of Human Rights in June 2009 after the Irish Supreme Court ruled the state could not be held responsible because the national school she attended was run by an independent board at the time.
National schools are state-funded primary schools that are privately managed under religious patronage.
In October 1998, Ms O'Keeffe applied to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal for compensation and was awarded 53,962.24 euros.
in October 2006 the High Court ordered the teacher to pay Ms O'Keeffe 305,104 euros in damages.
The court in Strasbourg ruled on Tuesday that her rights were breached on two grounds.
Her lawyer says the case could have far-reaching implications for all countries which have signed the European Convention on Human Rights.