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	Many Steps on Route to Justice Irish Independent January 7, 2009 http://www.independent.ie/opinion/editorial/many-steps-on-route-to-justice-1593908.html THE Dublin inner city priest who aired his views on clerical child sexual abuse — and the hierarchy's handling of it — by letting his feet do the talking, has done more to repair his church's reputation than all the encyclicals and expressions of regret that have flowed from his supposed superiors over the years. Father Michael Mernagh, who once worked closely with another man of integrity, the late Tony Gregory, in aid of the the poor and disadvantaged, walked from St Colman's Cathedral in Cork, where he had a rather cool discussion with the beleaguered Bishop of Cloyne, John Magee, to the Pro Cathedral in Dublin, where he was embraced by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. For once, the Catholic bishops of Ireland do not appear to be singing from the same hymn sheet. The congregation who warmly applauded Fr Mernagh at the Pro Cathedral, and heard him repeat his call for Bishop Magee's resignation, know which refrain they favour. Meanwhile, the Minister for Children, Barry Andrews, has urged Bishop Magee to think about his position and a children's rights group has called on the Government to investigate an alleged failure to apply proper child protection in his diocese. The Children's Rights Alliance wants the commission of investigation into clerical sex abuse in the archdiocese of Dublin to look into child protection policies in the diocese of Cloyne. But first they want Bishop Magee to resign. There have been suggestions that a HSE report, which is to be presented to Cabinet today will be less critical of Bishop Magee than was the report by the National Board for Safeguarding Children. The earlier report found that child protection practices in Cloyne were "inadequate and in some respects dangerous". However, it is known that, having obtained legal advice, more than 20 Irish bishops refused to provide today's HSE audit with details of allegations of abuse against individual priests. Unsurprisingly, the HSE audit, which is expected to confirm all dioceses' compliance with guidelines on reporting sexual abuse, has been described as "watered down". As lawyers for the State and the bishops discuss how specific details of alleged abuse might be disclosed, the victims listen wearily and a lone priest hangs up his boots.
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