Child Safeguarding Report on Galway Diocese Makes 9 Recommendations

Galway Bay Fm
April 24, 2013

http://www.galwaybayfm.ie/news/item/1012-child-safeguarding-report-on-galway-diocese-makes-9-recommendations

Nine recommendations have been issued in a report into safeguarding practice in the diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora.

The 28 page document issued by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church examines seven standards.

It's based on case material made available by Bishop Martin Drennan along with interviews with key personnel who contribute to safeguarding within the diocese.

The review references practice under the leadership of Bishop Drennan, Bishop McLoughlin and Bishop Casey.

The first recommendation is that Bishop Drennan should review all cases of living priests who are on administrative leave to ensure that formal written precepts have been issued and shared with the accused priest, and a copy retained on file.

It's also suggested that Bishop Drennan appoint a suitable person to initiate the preliminary investigation under an element of Canon law, in relation to all priests out of ministry.

The report also states that a safeguarding co-ordinator should put in place written risk management plans which should be shared with the accused priest.

The NBSCCI template is also highlighted as that to be followed for all case management records.

The report records the incidence of safeguarding allegations received within the Galway Diocese from January 1975 to January 2013.

It notes that 38 allegations have been received by the diocese since 1975.

Three priests against whom an allegation was made are still in ministry and 5 are deceased.

One priest has been convicted in the period of the review for having committed an offence against a child or young person.

Examining church inquiries and processes, it notes that in all cases prompt action was taken to remove men from ministry where credible allegations were made.

However, the exception to this appears in two cases - one of which was brought to the attention of Bishop Casey, which the report finds does not appear to have been afforded the attention it required during the early 1980s.

Bishop McLoughlin was informed of the concerns against this now deceased priest and removed him from ministry in 1995.

There was one other case which was brought to the attention of Bishop McLoughlin where it appears from the records that the complainant did not receive an appropriape response.

The report found that the church organisation has a child protection policy that is written in a clear and understandable way.

The review  which is part of a third tranche of such reviews examines files from 1975 to 2010 and has been three months in the making with the main field work completed in January.