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	Wexford Senator Is Happy with Reply from the Vatican New Ross Echo September 9, 2011 http://www.newrossecho.ie/news/eykfcwausn/ FIANNA FAIL Senator Jim Walsh from New Ross, in a lengthy statement on Tuesday, has welcomed the tone and content of the Vatican’s reply to the Irish Government in respect of the Cloyne Report. He believes that the Vatican’s expression of ‘its abhorrence for the crimes of sexual abuse’ and its sorrow ‘for the terrible sufferings which the victims of abuse and their families have had to endure’ displays clear empathy with those who have suffered child abuse. “While unfortunately the past sins and crimes cannot be altered, it is incumbent on all involved in the area of protecting our children and minors to ensure all possible safeguards are in place to avoid recurrence of these egregious crimes,” the Senator added. He was convinced the Vatican riposte meant Church has high standards and underlined the independence of the Church’s National Board for Safeguarding Children which did not fail to criticise how cases were handled by the Cloyne Report. “It is noteworthy,” says Senator Walsh “that with reference to the ‘Study Document’ from the Irish Bishops Advisory Committee, the Bishops’ Conference stated ‘the text is not an official publication’ and is ‘a code of recommended practice to facilitate’ Catholic Bishops in their Diocese. “ Following consultation in 1996, the Irish Government decided not to introduce mandatory reporting, as outlined by Minister Austin Currie and Minister Michael Noonan in the Dail, which clearly illustrates that the reservations expressed by the Papal Nuncio with regard to mandatory reporting were shared by the Irish Government at that time,” added Senator Walsh. He believes that the comment by the Taoiseach in the Dail with regard to the present Pope, then Cardinal Ratzinger, was “taken totally out of context and completely unrelated to the crimes of sexual abuse of minors.” With regard to the Government’s intention to legislate for mandatory reporting, the Vatican states ‘it does welcome and support whatever will genuinely contribute to the protection of children’ and in reference to earlier circular dated 3 May 2011 further states ‘without prejudice to the sacremental internal forum, the prescriptions of civil law regarding the reporting of such crimes to the designated authority should always be followed’. “While the past will continue to expose serious failings in this area of child protection, this should only serve to increase the precautions and safeguards that require constant review and upgrading, but also highlights the need to monitor and ensure effective implementation in the future, said Senator Walsh. “The time is past for cohesive commitment by all to safeguard our children. The State should also recognise and acknowledge its deficiencies, and renew its commitment to work resolutely with not only Church Authorities but with all those involved and charged with child care responsibilities,” he added. The Wexford Senator has claimed that the Vatican Statement provides “both an opportunity and a stimulus to ensure that the safety of our children is an absolute priority “ and, that all mechanisms to address the implementation of best practice is revised and pursued with determination. “For anyone who might doubt the bona fide of the Vatican in this regard, they could well study my own diocese of Ferns. Our diocese has a sad history of these appalling crimes, but today is rigorous in its approach to child protection through immediate consultation with its advisory group, notification and engagement on an inter agency basis with civil authorities, all of which are fully supported by the Vatican and has led to laicisation of perpetrators. The Government could do well to legislate in order to under pin the inter agency cooperation to which the Cloyne Report alluded.”
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