Eighteen Kildare and Leighlin Allegations

By Alison Healy
Irish Times
September 5, 2012

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0905/breaking31.html?via=rel

Ian Elliot, chief executive of the National Board for Safeguarding Children, who published a report into the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin today.

[with pdf]

Some 18 allegations of sexual abuse were made against 10 priests in the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin between 1975 and May of this year, according to a report published by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church.

The diocese covers 56 parishes in Co Carlow and parts of Kildare, Laois, Offaly, Kilkenny, Wicklow and Wexford.

Two of the priests against whom allegations were made are still living. One of those, Fr Peter Cribben, was convicted of the abuse of a 14-year-old boy in March 2009.

The second priest was not subject to a criminal charge. Monsignor Brendan Bryrne, diocesan administrator, said both were "completely out of ministry" and receiving diocesan supervision.

Two other priests were living when allegations were received but have since died.

One of those was charged with a serious sexual offence but died before the court process concluded.

The remaining six priests were dead when the allegations were made.

The diocese contributed more than €300,000 to the settlement of civil cases against Fr Cribben and the priest who died after being charged.

The report makes 12 recommendations which Monsignor Byrne said were accepted in full by the diocese.

He said a review of diocesan policies and procedures would soon be finished and this would address many of the recommendations made.

"In welcoming the publication of this review I wish to reaffirm the commitment of our diocese to be fully accountable to the highest safeguarding standards," he said.