A STATE investigation into a child sex abuse scandal has been dismissed out of hand by victims who said they were neither informed nor interviewed by the Health Service Executive, which conducted the inquiry at the Government’s request. One of the victims of abuse in the Cork diocese of Cloyne said she and other victims were never made aware of a Health Service Executive (HSE) report into the mishandling of the abuse allegations.
Yesterday, Minister for Children Barry Andrews said he had asked the HSE to conduct its own investigation in July. He also defended his decision not to publish a separate report carried out by the Church’s National Board for the Safeguarding of Children (NBSC). He was given a copy of this report in July.
Last night, victims of clerical abuse in Cloyne said they were “astonished” to hear of the HSE report and “disgusted” at how the Government was handling the NBSC report.
“The only report that we ever knew about was the Ian Elliott report which he completed in his role at the National Board for the Safeguarding of Children. We all spoke with him, but we were never, ever told that a second report was being conducted into the issue until yesterday. Why are people trying to avoid the contents of the first report being published?”
A spokesman for the Diocese of Cloyne — which is overseen by Bishop John Magee — also expressed “personal confusion” about the existence of a second report.
The NBSC also said it was only aware of its own investigation.
The One in Four organisation said it was never aware of a second report.
Last night, the HSE refused to answer questions from this newspaper about its investigation.
Among other things, the HSE was asked when it began its investigation, who conducted it and what were its terms of reference.
It refused to answer those questions, instead issuing a short statement, which read: “The HSE has sent its report arising from allegations of child sex abuse in the diocese of Cloyne to the Department of Health and Children. The minister and the department are considering the report.”
Earlier in the day, Mr Andrews denied he had commissioned the NBSC to carry out a report.
“The NBSC were informed of a complaint in the diocese of Cloyne and carried out its own internal investigation. This internal report was not commissioned, paid for or evaluated by the Office of the Minister for Children,” he said.
He was seeking legal advice on the HSE report and hoped to publish it by the end of the week.
Labour party TD Sean Sherlock last night said the minister was taking a “cowardly position”.
“This is an abdication of responsibility. We all hoped this minister would bring some new vigour and courage to the Office of Children and Youth Affairs. Minister Andrews has the option of formally laying the report before the Houses of the Oireachtas thus averting any threat of possible legal action. It is very disappointing that he has refused to do so.”
The NBSC said it is looking at the possible ramifications of publishing its own report by chief executive Ian Elliott.
Questions asked
The Irish Examiner asked the Health Service Executive to answer six key questions in relation to its investigation into claims of child sex abuse in the Diocese of Cloyne:
1 When did the HSE begin its investigation into clerical sex abuse in the diocese of Cloyne?
REPLY: The HSE sent its report to the department, which is considering it.
2 Was this investigation highlighted at the time, either in a press release or through communications with abuse victims or church authorities?
REPLY: The HSE sent its report to the department, which is considering it
3 Who conducted the investigation?
REPLY: The HSE sent its report to the department, which is considering it
4 What were the terms of reference for the investigation?
REPLY: The HSE sent its report to the department, which is considering it
5 Did the HSE conduct its own interviews with abuse victims and church authorities for the purposes of its report?
REPLY: The HSE sent its report to the department, which is considering it
6 Does the HSE report differ in substance from the NBSC report?
REPLY: The HSE sent its report to the department, which is considering it.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce
(Source: IE)