REFERRAL TO COMMISSION:THE EXAMINATION of child protection practices in the Diocese of Cloyne by a judicial commission will be completed by early July, Minister for Children Barry Andrews has said, reports Harry McGee, Political Staff.
Mr Andrews confirmed yesterday that the Government has referred the diocese covering most of rural Cork to the Commission of Investigation into the Dublin Archdiocese, chaired by Judge Yvonne Murphy.
Speaking at a press conference in Dublin, Mr Andrews accepted that the decision went against a recommendation by a Health Service Executive (HSE) report. It concluded that a referral was "not warranted".
Outlining the basis for his decision, Mr Andrews said that at the time the audit questionnaire was completed, the diocese was handling a complaint in relation to child abuse, which it had failed to notify to the HSE.
"I believe that there is evidence that points to the fact that Bishop [John] Magee, as the responsible person, did not faithfully report actual compliance with child protection procedures and the manner in which clerical sexual abuse allegations have been dealt with," he said.
Mr Andrews also said the Catholic Church's National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC) had made "damning" findings about the handling of sexual abuse allegations within Cloyne in its report published last month.
"It used very stark language about the way which the diocese operated child-protected procedures including saying that they had operated somewhat dangerous procedures, that they favoured perpetrators over victims in certain circumstances and had taken a fairly minimalistic role in terms of sharing information with the board, even as recently as last year."
The HSE audit covering every Catholic diocese of the State was also published yesterday. The audit did have shortcomings, Mr Andrews noted.
In particular, he said there was an absence of information, including so-called "soft information" about specific incidents alleging abusive behaviour. That information was not made available by the bishops.
The Minister recognised that there was an "obvious difficulty" surrounding the provision of such information but also argued that bishops could have provided information on how many clergy had been convicted of abuse and how many were placed on restricted ministries.
"There were legal reasons that were legitimately raised by all parties, not just the church, about the sharing of information that would otherwise be confidential."
He said the problem of obtaining such information would be addressed in two ways: by legislation allowing for the obtaining of "soft information" as well as a new partnership arrangement between his office, the HSE and the Catholic Church's NBSC.
He said that his office would try to find a mechanism within three weeks that would allow for a proper review to be conducted by the three bodies of each diocese in the country.
"If you look at the quality of the work that the NBSC has done in Cloyne, it would be madness of us not to form a partnership with it, and the HSE," he said.
When asked if Bishop Magee should resign, Mr Andrews said it remained his view that the bishop needed "to reflect on the very serious consequences of the failures that have very patently taken place within his diocese," he said.
"I am very disappointed [with Bishop Magee]. A lot of good people in his diocese are disappointed as is evidenced by the support for Fr Michael Mernagh who walked from Cobh [to Dublin]."