Published Thursday, 22 July 2010
The pair have "agreed on a voluntary basis to be admitted to a hospital for care and treatment", a spokesperson for the Western Trust confirmed.
A group of abuse survivors issued a statement on Thursday night, giving a cautious welcome to the development.
"While we welcome the decision taken by the extended McDermott family, we don't believe it was a situation that should have developed in the first place.
"We are also very aware that the admittance for treatment is voluntary and means that the McDermott brothers are free to leave at any time. We realise that the family were put in a difficult position but this is down to failings in the law."
It comes after a number of meetings held by residents in Donagh, concerned that James and Owen Roe McDermott were back living in the local community after being declared unfit to stand trial.
The pair - and two other brothers - faced 60 charges between them for a catalogue of abuse.
They were handed lifetime orders banning them from being with children, but returned to their family home which is close to a children's play area on the Moorlough Road in the village.
Their brother John McDermott was jailed for nine years for the abuse he carried out, while Peter McDermott took his own life during his trial.
Officials from the Western Health Trust had earlier called for James and Owen Roe McDermott to admit themselves to hospital for treatment.
'Breathing space'
Meanwhile, one survivor known as 'Martin' described it as "a great relief" for the people of Donagh.
"Last night was the first night since the sentencing of the brothers that I've had a confortable and stress-free night's sleep.
"Every night the image of those two men, and the thought of them looking out the window at children in the children's play area was a nightmare and filled me with revulsion."
Sinn Féin MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Michelle Gildernew welcomed the news.
"It means that the community can now have the breathing space they need to come to terms with what has happened to them, particularly for the survivors," she told UTV.
However she added that it was "a disgrace" that the brothers had been allowed to return home in the first place.
"The removal of these two abusers from the Donagh community needed to happen, it should not have been an option for them to return to this small village," she said.
"The fact that these two men continued to live in Donagh, in such close proximity to various amenities for the children was an absolute disgrace.
"Whilst the two men are in the hospital on a voluntary basis and at the minute it appears that they are free to leave, it is a much better place for them to be - both for their own welfare and to allow the community time to heal."
Ms Gildernew added: "The people of Donagh, and their victims in particular, have had to live under the shadow of this for decades, and it is only right that their abusers have done the decent thing and moved on.
"We must still remember that this does not solve the problem and the same problems still exist within the Mental Health legislation and this still needs addressed."