Ireland- Church Watchdog Group Omitted Information, Victims Respond

SNAP
March 28, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/ireland_church_watchdog_group_omitted_information_victims_respond

A group hired to investigate the Irish Catholic church's child safety policy has been accused of omitting key information. If it is true and they omitted information and are denying it, we are deeply disappointed and concerned.

[independent.ie]

The protection of children should be a number one priority. When valuable and relevant information is omitted from reports it does a disservice to those children who were egregiously hurt, future victims, and church parishioners.

The church has long maintained that they would be open and transparent, but they denied the former chief executive access stating “there was no basis for review”. That doesn’t sound very open and transparent to us. Why deny access to an investigation aimed at improving church policy unless there is something to hide?

We hope that watchdog group will investigate this omission further and that the church will not impede anymore reviews.