Archdiocese Details Scale of Abuse Cases
By Patsy Mcgarry
Allegations of child sexual abuse were reported this past year against four priests of the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin who were not previously the subject of complaints, it has emerged. A suspicion of child sexual abuse was raised against one priest of the archdiocese who was not previously the subject of complaints. There have been, to date, 199 civil actions taken against 46 priests of the archdiocese. Of these 135 have been concluded and 64 are ongoing. Costs, so far, to the archdiocese in the settlement of claims concerning clerical child sexual abuse is currently ˆ15.2 million (ˆ10.3 m in settlements and ˆ4.9 m in legal costs for both sides). Ten priests or former priests of the archdiocese have been convicted in the criminal courts. The total number of priests of the archdiocese against whom allegations of child sexual abuse have been recorded is now 98. This relates to a period of over 70 years during which approximately 1,350 priests served in Dublin. These were among figures released at a press briefing in Dublin’s Clonliffe College this evening as part of the archdiocese’s updating of statistical information on child sexual abuse by priests there. The briefing was attended by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, director of the archdiocese’s Child Safeguarding and Protection Service (CSPS) Andrew Fagan, child protection officer Sinead McDonnell, vicar general Msgr Lorcan O’ Brien, communications director Annette O’Donnell, communications officer Carol Faulkner and Archbishop’s secretary Msgr Paul Callan. Mr Fagan said that despite years of reports, guidelines and training both inside and outside the Church, many people still had a skewed perception of what safeguarding children in the Catholic Church involves. Pointing out that chold protection standards in Dublin parishes operated to a very high standards it was also the case that, “while the majority of allegations of abuse reported to us now, relate to sexual abuse which may have occurred many years ago, it is still crucial to be vigilant and to work to ensure standards are maintained,” he said. Archbishop Martin said there was “no priest in ministry in Dublin, about whom concerns have been received, that the gardai and the HSE are not fully informed.” It was also pointed out that in 2011 almost 1,000 in the archdiocese took part in a new suite of training modules developed by the National Board for the Safeguarding of Children in Dublin. To date, over 26,300 people, in Dublin, including bishops, priests, parish workers, diocesan staff, agency staff, ancillary staff in schools and volunteers have participated in Garda vetting. Figures published by the archdiocese today also showed a sharp decline in the level of incidents of abuse involving recorded since the 1980’s.It found that of the 98 priests recorded as having abused children in the past 70 years: - 2 per cent of these priests are alleged to have abused in the 1940’s - 4 per cent of these priests are alleged to have abused in the 1950’s - 23 per cent of these priests are alleged to have abused in the 1960’s - 27 per cent of these priests are alleged to have abused in 1970’s - 34 per cent of these priests are alleged to have abused in the 1980’s - 9 per cent of these priests are alleged to have abused in the 1990’s - 1 per cent of these priests is alleged to have abused in the 2,000’s Arising from the current review the CSPS published information it has on 10 priests and former priests whom it has categorised as serial abusers of children as well as an analysis of when incidents of abuse are alleged to have occurred over the past six decades.
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