By Seán McCárthaigh
Irish Examiner
October 23, 2006
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A Leading charity working with victims of child sex abuse has raised concerns about the lack of progress by Catholic Church leaders in implementing their policy on the reporting of allegations of clerical sex abuse.
The Irish Examiner understands that the failure to appoint lay professionals to investigate allegations against priests means the decision on whether to notify the civil authorities of suspected clerical sexual abuse still rests with the bishops in all but one of the 22 dioceses in the Republic.
One in Four has questioned delays within the Church about establishing a National Office for Child Protection as promised by the Primate of All Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Seán Brady, shortly after publication of the Ferns Report last year.
A senior childcare expert, who wished to remain anonymous, has also raised doubts about the Church's willingness to implement its own new guidelines, Our Children, Our Church. These were published shortly after the landmark report criticised Church leaders for their handling of complaints against 21 priests in the diocese of Ferns.
"I'm not sure there is the political will among senior Church authorities to implement Our Children, Our Church," said the expert.
One in Four founder Colm O'Gorman said failure to enact some of the key elements suggested "a worrying trend".
The establishment of a National Office for Child Protection, plus the appointment of a team of regional directors to examine allegations of clerical sexual abuse, were some of the main innovations in Our Children, Our Church. None of these positions for full-time professionals with childcare expertise has been filled, or advertised.
Nevertheless, one diocesan website is advertising both a landline and mobile phone number for the National Office for Child Protection. Attempts to contact the office using both numbers in recent days have failed. The child protection office operated by the Church closed last week.
Although the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has welcomed improvements the hierarchy has introduced to its structures for investigating claims against priests, it claims such measures fall short of a system of mandatory reporting.
A Church spokesperson said delays in establishing the National Office for Child Protection were due to the number of dioceses and religious congregations to be consulted as part of "a complex process".
Mr O'Gorman praised the Government for introducing a section in the Criminal Justice Act 2006 under which any person who has authority or control over a child or abuser who intentionally or recklessly endangers a child by act or failure to act can face a maximum jail sentence of 10 years.
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