Court Clears Way for Abuse Report, The Irish Times, April 8, 2011

Court Clears Way for Abuse Report

The Irish Times
April 8, 2011

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0408/breaking33.html

The Catholic Church's abuse watchdog found the-then bishop of Cloyne, John Magee, took minimal action over a series of child abuse allegations against two of his priests

The High Court has paved the way for the publication of a report into the handling of clerical child sex abuse allegations in the Diocese of Cloyne.

One chapter of the report will be censored over fears it could prejudice the upcoming criminal trial of an alleged paedophile priest, the President of the High Court Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns ruled.

Counsel for Minister for Justice Alan Shatter appeared before Mr Justice Kearns this morning to seek directions on the publication of the report, which centres on allegations of child sexual abuse against 19 clerics operating in the diocese between 1996 and 2009.

Its publication follows a two-year investigation by Circuit Court judge Yvonne Murphy, who also investigated the handling of abuse claims in the Dublin Archdiocese.

The court heard chapters nine to 26 deal with allegations, complaints and concerns relating to 19 clerics in the diocese. None are named but are given pseudonyms.

However legal arguments over the contents of chapter nine, which focuses on one priest who is due to stand trial in the Circuit Court, were held in camera.

Mr Justice Kearns said he was anxious to ensure the pending prosecution would not be prejudiced or run the risk of “being derailed” by the publication of the report in full. “There is a pending criminal trial and I take the view . . . that there is a risk that the trial due to take place very shortly might be prejudiced if that particular portion of the report, largely contained in chapter nine, were to be published at this stage,” he added.

The judge ordered issues surrounding the publication of chapter nine be brought back before the court on July 15th.

Welcoming today's High Court decision, Mr Shatter said he understood it was now necessary for counsel for the parties to agree what deletions are necessary to the report to give effect to the judge's order. Once that is completed, Mr Shatter said arrangements would be made to publish the report as soon as possible.

The State inquiry was ordered in January 2009 after a damning report by the Catholic Church’s abuse watchdog found the-then bishop of Cloyne John Magee took minimal action over a series of child abuse allegations against two of his priests.

Branding his child protection inadequate and dangerous, the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church said that what little action Dr Magee took was also inappropriately delayed.The one-time Vatican aide, from Newry in Co Down, faced down repeated calls to quit his post in Cork until his resignation was finally accepted by Rome in March 2010.

Victim support groups said men and women sexually abused by paedophile priests have been waiting years to learn how so many allegations were mishandled.

Maeve Lewis, executive director at One in Four, said the court’s decision will come as a relief to the people who were sexually abused as children in the diocese of Cloyne.

She said the postponement of the publication of one chapter was regrettable, but added: “Very few survivors of child sexual abuse engage with the criminal justice system. It is important that the cases which come before the courts are not jeopardised in any way.

“However, we are concerned that the omission of certain sections may undermine the integrity of the report and may also mean that the full picture of how children were endangered in the Cloyne diocese will not emerge.”

Connect counselling service will open its helplines this evening and over the weekend for anyone distressed by reports the Cloyne report. Survivors of abuse can call 1800 477 477 from the Republic of Ireland and 00800 477 477 77 from Northern Ireland.