NORTHERN IRELAND
Belfast Telegraph
By Deborah McAleese
newsdesk@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
23 December 2005
THE PSNI has met with senior officials from the Catholic Church to discuss allegations of clerical child sex abuse.
No decision on the type of action to be taken to address the problem will be made until the outcome of the meetings, which are due to wrap up this week.
In the wake of the damning Ferns report into clerical sex abuse in Co Wexford - which found that over 140 priests in four dioceses have been accused of sexual abuse - the Government has been asked if it plans to launch a probe into clerical child sex abuse in all maintained schools in Northern Ireland.
It has also been asked if a joint inquiry with authorities in the Republic into clerical child sex abuse within Catholic Church diocese that straddle the border will be carried out.
Direct Rule Minister Shaun Woodward has confirmed that a series of meetings have been held between the Catholic Church, the PSNI, the Department of Health and health bodies in the Republic.
He said that decisions on the actions to be taken will be made following another meeting due to take place before Christmas.