A 55-YEAR-OLD Franciscan is due to be charged today with a series of offences involved alleged serious sexual assaults on young boys who were in his care during the 1970s and 1980s.
It is understood the Director of Public Prosecutions has recommended that a total of 57 charges be preferred against the man,
The charges are understood to relate to allegations made by at least five young men who were part of a football team.
The former pupils, mostly now in their 20s, alleged they were subjected to assaults of varying degrees of seriousness. The charges under consideration are understood to include buggery and gross indecency.
At the time the offences are alleged to have happened the boys concerned were aged between seven and 12 years.
The alleged offences are said to have happened in a number of locations including shower rooms and playing grounds in the Phoenix Park and during a weekend visit to Salthill, Co Galway.
It is understood the allegations first surfaced about two years ago and that the man moved from Dublin to a Franciscan institution in Rome, After a request by the Garda he made himself available for questioning at Kevin Street Garda station last year. He returned to the State recently and is due to face charges today.