IRELAND
One in Four
Patsy McGarry, Religious Affairs Correspondent - Irish Times
The Catholic Church in Ireland has moved a step closer towards having in place guidelines on child-protection policy.
At a meeting yesterday its representatives agreed that professional directors of child protection, rather than a bishop or religious superior, should have responsibility for receiving and reporting allegations of abuse to the civil authorities. Meanwhile it will remain the responsibility of the bishop/superior to suspend/stand down the accused priest or religious, on consideration of recommendations of the director of child protection.
It was agreed also that the church would set up a national board on child protection which will have responsibility for the implementation of its policy as well as for auditing and publishing reports on its work.
It will further decide how many directors of child protection there will be on the island and the areas for which they will be responsible.
Posted by kshaw at December 23, 2004 12:50 PM