Diocese Told to Review Child Policy

Irish Times
September 5, 2012

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0905/breaking33.html?via=rel


[with pdf]

Bishop Donal Buckley has been told to ensure that the diocese of Cork and Ross reviews and, if necessary, revises its safeguarding children policy document.

The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church (NBSCCC) audit found that the advice was written in 2009, two years before the Diocesan Child Protection Committee had sight of two important national documents, Children First, and the HSE Child Protection and Welfare Practice Handbook.


Another issue it flagged up was that the diocese does not set out timeframes for resolving child abuse complaints.


The audit stated that allegations have been made against 26 priests in the diocese since 1975, and eight of the clerics have died.


Three priests - including two with convictions for paedophilia - have been laicised, five are out of ministry or on restricted duties, seven retired and another three returned to ministry after complaints were investigated.


Some 50 complaints of child abuse were received by gardai and 51 by health authorities, the report said.


The audit identified another priest who had allegations against him from his time holidaying in Cork and his order has been notified. Concerns were raised about a lack of support from his diocesan heads in Britain.


A special diocesan panel has not had to examine any new allegations about priests since 2011, the audit said.