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	Parishioners Will Not Have to Pay for Sex Abuse Claims By Kate Heaney The Donegal Post March 12, 2010 http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/dn/free/310374080397491.php THE faithful of the Raphoe Diocese will not be asked for money to pay compensation to the victims of clerical sexual abuse, it was confirmed this week. Fr Michael McKeever, Secretary to Bishop Philip Boyce confirmed to the Donegal News that unlike the diocese of Ferns, there are no such plans locally. There was huge anger when Dr Denis Brennan, the Bishop of Ferns, invited parishioners to donate money to assist the church in footing a bill of over ¤10 million, to meet the legal costs of defending civil cases brought against the diocese in relation to clerical sexual abuse. The Bishop of Ferns told parishioners it has had to pay more than ¤8 million to settle 48 civil actions, while a further 13 actions were pending. "There are certainly no plans to ask the people of the Raphoe Diocese for money to pay compensation to the victims of clerical abuse or to pay legal costs connected with any cases. "Collections in churches are to run the parishes they are collected in and they cannot be touched. They are covered by Canon Law and are for the use of the parish with a small administration fee paid to the Bishop's office," Fr McKeever said. No outstanding investigations Apart from the investigation into the actions of convicted, disgraced Columban missionary Fr Patrick Maguire who served in Donegal, there are no other investigations going on in the diocese. Fr Paddy Dunne, spokesperson for Bishop Boyce said while 11 priest have had allegations made against them in the past, three of these, Fr Eugene Green, Fr Daniel Doherty and Fr John Doherty have been convicted. No other prosecutions have been taken. The Columban Missionaries are dealing directly with the gardai regarding Fr Maguire. In the Murphy Report into clerical abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese, Fr Patrick Maguire was named as a serial sexual abuser who served in the Raphoe Diocese between 1974 and 1975. He was then moved to the Dublin Archdiocese where he continued his sexual abuse of children. Fr Dunne told the Donegal News this week that because Bishop Boyce was away he could not confirm the amount of money paid out to date in compensation to the victims of clerical sex abuse in the diocese. "I can confirm that parish funds are for three purposes only; everything associated with worship; supporting the clergy, and an apostolate to the poor. It is an independent entity," Fr Dunne said. In January last year the Bishop's office confirmed that a total of ¤984,507 in compensation has been paid out to 22 victims of clerical abuse in the diocese. That figure had increased by ¤224,507 since the last amount paid in compensation by the diocese was released in 2005. The total at that time was ¤760,000 which related to 19 claims. The diocese was found to be compliant when the HSE launched its report last year following an audit of child protection procedures in all the dioceses in the country.
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