IRELAND
Irish Times
Patsy McGarry Religious Affairs Correspondent
Catholic Archbishop Seán Brady yesterday committed the church in Ireland to implementing child protection guidelines that aim "to ensure that where the church is, children are safe".
Archbishop Brady said the guidelines were designed to ensure "the painful mistakes of the past will never happen again".
The new guidelines were welcomed by the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Brian Lenihan, and by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
However, some abuse victims expressed disappointment. Colm O'Gorman of One in Four said the church had failed to meet the standards demanded by the Ferns Report. "We've moved backwards not forwards," he said.
The guidelines were sponsored by the Irish Bishops' Conference, the Conference of Religious of Ireland, and the Irish Missionary Union. Among the child protection measures included are:
A national board for child protection chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Anthony Hederman. It will be made up of parents and professionals in the areas of child care, psychology, theology, law, academia, education and business.