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	Joint Statement by the Irish Bishops’ Conference, the Conference of Religious of Ireland and the Irish Missionary Union in Response to the Publication of the Nbsccci Annual Report 2010 Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference May 11, 2011 http://www.catholicbishops.ie/2011/05/11/11-2011-joint-statement-catholic-church%E2%80%99s-sponsoring-bodies-response-publication-nbsccci-annual-report-2010/ [2010 Report] We welcome the publication today of the 2010 Annual Report of the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI). We take this opportunity to express the gratitude of the whole Church in Ireland to the members of the National Board and the National Office for their untiring commitment to the safety and welfare of children in the Church and for their unstinting professionalism in helping us all to meet the highest possible standards in this area. The Board’s report demonstrates significant progress in many key areas, notably in policy development and training, as well as some important areas of challenge that have yet to be completely resolved. As Sponsoring Bodies we are fully committed to working with the Board to consolidate the progress made to date and to addressing those issues which have been a cause of some frustration to both the Sponsoring Bodies and the Board, particularly around data protection and the sharing of statistics and other specific information with the National Office. The role of the National Board in monitoring the implementation of international best practice in safeguarding children by dioceses, religious congregations and missionary societies is vital if, in the words of Pope Benedict XVI, we are to ‘restore the respect and goodwill of the Irish people towards the Church’[1] and address the tragic and painful mistakes of the past. As Sponsoring Bodies we are committed to ensuring that the Board can fulfil its role of monitoring the implementation of international standards of best practice by all dioceses, religious congregations and mission societies. This will continue to be a priority in our ongoing engagement with the National Board in the year ahead. We look forward to continuing our work with the Board and to resolve any remaining issues as quickly and as comprehensively as possible.
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