Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has paid tribute to the late journalist and broadcaster Mary Raftery (54) who died in St Vincent’s hospital in Dublin today after an illness.
Dr Martin said he believed that her work in exposing the cover-up of clerical child sex abuse allegations had made the Catholic Church “a better place” for children.
“I believe…bringing the truth out is always a positive thing even though it may be a painful truth,” the archbishop told RTÉ Radio.
Even though some felt her motivation was anti-Church, Dr Martin said her latest documentary, on the history of Ireland's psychiatric hospitals, indicated Ms Raftery had a passion for exposing what was going on “behind all the walls” of Irish society.
“She was driven by a passion of getting out stories about how we build up walls to block the suffering of vulnerable out of our minds.”
Irish Times editor Kevin O'Sullivan described Ms Raftery as "the outstanding investigative journalist of her generation".
"Her journalism over many years of broadcasting on RTÉ and in print, not least for some time on the pages of The Irish Times, fearlessly exposed the gross failures of Church and State in looking after some of the most vulnerable and damaged of people in Irish society."
“In doing so she demonstrated huge empathy with victims whose lives were damaged by sex abuse, physical brutality and/or inappropriate care,” he said.
RTÉ director general Noel Curran said Ms Raftery’s journalism was defined by determination and fearlessness.
"Her record in broadcasting is extraordinary, and not just in current affairs, with which she is most associated. She has left an important legacy for Irish society, particularly for some of our most vulnerable citizens," he said.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore said that, in her work, Ms Raftery “uncovered the truth, even when it was a truth that a lot of people did not want to hear, and when it was a truth that challenging and difficult.”
Abuse victim and campaigner Andrew Madden said Ms Raftery had been "instrumental" in helping many survivors expose the truth about what the Catholic Church and others knew about the sexual abuse of children by priests.
"Mary Raftery has contributed hugely to helping survivors receive some semblance of justice: The Ryan and Murphy reports are now part of the public record of this country and will remain there and continue to inform us for many years. For too many survivors, having those reports on the public record is the only justice they have ever received," he said.
"I will be forever grateful to Mary for all she has done to help shed a light where it wasn’t wanted."
Fellow abuse survivor Colm O’Gorman, who set up the One In Four support group, said Ms Raftery presented the public with difficult, disturbing, challenging facts in a non-aggressive way which revealed the simple truths in society.
"She was such a gentle, warm woman, but one of the most principled people of the highest integrity that I’ve ever been fortunate to meet. She has done this society and this country an extraordinary service," he said.
John Kelly, of Irish Survivors of Child Abuse, said news of Ms Raftery’s death is a cause of deep sadness for all survivors who remember her enormous contribution to the revelations of historical child abuses in Ireland’s enclosed institutions.
“We each owe a great deal to Mary’s steadfast courage that brought hope where there was despair and vindication when it was sorely needed,” he said.
Journalist Mick Peelo, who worked with Ms Raftery on her 2002 programme Cardinal Secrets, which investigated cover-up of clerical child sex abuse allegations in Dublin's Catholic archdiocese, said his colleague was tireless at seeking out the truth and revealed that abuse in the church was not just perpetrated by a few bad apples.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin expressed his shock and sadness at Ms Raftery’s death. “Mary was a groundbreaking, inspirational journalist who made a major contribution to Irish public life. Through her work Mary raised the level of public debate in this country and touched many lives,” he said.
Additional reporting by PA
