The Garda announced last night that it was "researching the various issues involved" in relation to clerical child sex abuse allegations.
A short statement issued through the Garda Press Office said: "An Garda Síochána is aware of the widespread concern in respect of clerical abuse and has been in consultation with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform today. We are researching the various issues involved and whatever appropriate response or responses are decided upon will be reported in due course."
The Deputy Garda Commissioner, Mr Noel Conroy, met the Minister, Mr McDowell, yesterday.
At its Cabinet meeting today, the Government is expected to discuss the form of inquiry best suited to investigating revelations concerning the handling of clerical child sex abuse in the Dublin archdiocese, as portrayed on RTÉ's Prime Time programme last Thursday night. Mr McDowell and the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, are due to meet to review the issue this week. No decision is expected until after this meeting.
There is a view in Government circles that a statutory inquiry may be more appropriate in Dublin. Mr McDowell however has made it clear he wants to avoid a "knee-jerk" reaction and to get it right.
Meanwhile the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, has said he would have no difficulty with State inquiries into the handling by church authorities of clerical child sex abuse complaints. If a conflict arose between the law of the land and canon law then, where he was concerned, "the primary obligation is to the law of the land" for a bishop, as for anyone else.
Speaking to The Irish Times last night, he said there may have been confusion on this matter in the past but people had to be clear that everyone was equal before the law. "The day is long gone when any of us \ expects special treatment, which I believe would be unfair."
He had full confidence in the independence of the Hussey commission, set up by the bishops last June to conduct an audit into how all Catholic dioceses handled complaints of clerical child sex abuse. Judge Gillian Hussey had "picked her own team" and was "a woman of great integrity".
Speaking about his role in the tribunal which investigated allegations against Father Tony Walsh, over an "eight-nine-10 month" period in 1992, he said that not all the facts presented on the Prime Time programme concerning the priest came before them. They had not known, for instance, about the rape of nine-year-old "David" in the Phoenix Park. Still, the tribunal consisting of himself, Father [now Bishop of Dromore] John McAreavey and Father Paddy Corcoran, heard enough evidence to recommend Father Walsh's expulsion from the priesthood.
Father Walsh appealed the decision to Rome and the ensuing process, which found for the tribunal, took a further three years. The priest was in suspension from the ministry throughout.
Dr Walsh had understood that the Dublin archdiocese had informed its priests and the Garda about the tribunal findings. If it were now he would check to make sure gardaí were fully informed.He deeply regretted that the priest was left in a position where he could abuse more children.
In an RTÉ interview yesterday, Dr Walsh became emotional when discussing this situation. Dr McAreavey was not contactable to discuss the matter yesterday.