RTE News
December 23, 2008
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1223/abuse.html
[with audio]
IRELAND -- Minister for Children Barry Andrews has defended his handling of a report that criticised how complaints of child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Cloyne were dealt with.
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| Barry Andrews Gave report to the HSE without reading it |
The minister received the report earlier this year, but passed it on to the Health Service Executive without reading it.
Minister Andrews has said the Bishop of Cloyne, Dr John Magee, must reflect on the findings of the report.
On RTÉ Radio's Morning Ireland, Mr Andrews said he had dealt with the report in the manner set out by guidelines.
He said he believed he had done the right thing in passing the report straight to the HSE when he received it last year, and he would do the same with any other report.
Yesterday, Mr Andrews said the report on the handling by the Cloyne diocese of abuse allegations was very worrying, and he said he did have concern that the Bishop of Cloyne was patron of all national schools in the diocese which covers 46 parishes in Co Cork.
However, Dr Magee rejected calls to step down.
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| Dr John Magee Rejects calls to step down |
Also speaking yesterday, the father of an alleged victim of clerical child sexual abuse called for the Church to 'kick out' Dr Magee. He said the bishop should account for himself before being fired.
It follows a report by the National Safeguarding Board for Children in the Catholic Church (NBSCCC), published last week, which found the Catholic Church had not responded properly to abuse allegations.
A NBSCCC review of child abuse inquiries in the Diocese of Cloyne found that Church authorities broke their own rules on reporting allegations.
A schoolgirl's allegation, as well as four similar allegations, was not reported by the diocese to the gardaí.
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