Still reeling from the fallout from the mishandling of previous abuse claims, the diocese has now agreed to the implementation of a series of measures, beginning with a meeting next week with childcare professionals.

The HSE audit, published yesterday, outlines a range of measures that will now be put in place, claiming diocese representatives would now “identify interventions that would avoid any future misunderstandings” and “strengthen lines of communication”.

The measures include:

* Quarterly meetings between diocesan staff, the local HSE Child Care manager and a representative of the North Cork Child Protection service, beginning with a meeting on January 15.

* Monthly liaison meetings between the Child Care Manager and the Cloyne delegate for clerical sexual abuse complaints.

* An audit, already underway, of all allegations made against clergy in the diocese dating back to 1996.

* The drafting of an agreed supervision policy to bolster existing continuing supervision of those in the cases already identified by the HSE. An agreed policy is set to be operational by April, with the audit calling for the supervision of members of the clergy who, while not subject to prosecution, have been otherwise removed from ministry.

The audit also notes the appointment of Fr William Bermingham as a new diocesan delegate and that the current Interdiocesan Case Management Advisory Committee is under review and that its function will be carried out, in the interim, by the National Safeguarding Board for Children.

The recommendations included in the audit also note that “the existing Child Protection Practices within the diocese will need to be strengthened to comply with existing national guidelines”.

Barnardos and Children At Risk in Ireland were among the organisations calling for the Children First guidelines to be placed on a statutory footing.

Barnardos’ director of advocacy, Norah Gibbons, also said laws were needed that would ensure mandatory reporting of child abuse to agencies such as the HSE and the gardaí.