The diocese of Limerick last night acknowledged that it had failed to properly assess information available to it regarding a priest's suitability for ministry.
The assertion was contained in a joint statement issued by the Limerick diocese and the family of Peter McCloskey (37), who died suddenly two days after walking out of a meeting with church representatives about his claim that he had been abused as an altar boy.
In the statement, the Bishop of Limerick, Dr Donal Murray, again acknowledged that he "completely accepts the truth" of Mr McCloskey's experience of clerical child sexual abuse.
The statement also added that there was a failure on the church's part to properly inform itself as to Fr Denis Daly's suitability for ministry and the appropriateness of allowing him to minister in the diocese.
"The diocese accepts that the information available at that time should have prevented Fr Daly from taking up ministry in Limerick," according to the statement released last night.
The statement added that Mr McCloskey was a man of extra-ordinary honesty, integrity and courage whose commitment to the truth demanded that all involved work to examine fully and address the grave issues which had been raised as a result of his death.
One in Four director Colm O'Gorman , who attended yesterday's meeting between the McCloskey family and Dr Murray, said the joint statement had brought the church into "new territory". He contended that the level of engagement and dialogue achieved could transform the way in which the issue of child sex abuse was dealt with in future.
"The meeting was very long and challenging. It was uncomfortable for everyone, but it was incredibly frank," said Mr O'Gorman. "This is what Peter hoped he would have achieved. It is a very significant acknowledgement of the church's failure to follow procedures . . . all parties today stepped beyond a position of comfort and defensiveness."
Future meetings between the diocese and McCloskey family will seek to establish if the supports offered to Mr McCloskey were adequate and what changes might now be appropriate.
"We owe this to Peter McCloskey . . . he was completely focused on establishing the truth and believed that every response necessary would follow from the truth," Mr O'Gorman said.
Former diocesan secretary Fr Tony Mullins said: "The meeting was naturally difficult for all of us, but there is now a determination to work towards the beginning of the healing process."