The High Court has said the 29-page chapter 19 of the Murphy report can be published.
Here's what it is expected to contain:
Most
of the report was published on November 26th last year.
It detailed
findings of the Murphy Commission following its investigation of the
handling by Catholic Church and State authorities of clerical child sex
abuse allegations in the Dublin archdiocese, made between 1975 and 2004
and involving a sample of 46 priests.
Two chapters, 19 and 20, were withheld, as court proceedings were pending against two men who were the subject of each.
Two chapters, 19 and 20, were withheld, as court proceedings were pending against two men who were the subject of each.
That remains the
case where chapter 20 is concerned. With the jailing of Tony Walsh last
Monday, however, the way now seems clear for publication of chapter 19,
and of 21 other references to Walsh in the Murphy report.
“David” has
spoken to the commission about his abuse by Walsh.
It is also known from the report itself that it investigated the church tribunal in Dublin that found in 1992 that Walsh should be laicised on foot of allegations of child sex abuse.
It states that “only two canonical trials took place over the 30-year period [investigated]. Both were at the instigation of [then] Archbishop Connell and the Commission gives him credit for initiating the two penal processes which led to the dismissal of Fr Bill Carney in 1990”.
The report also says: “Archbishop Connell was one of the first bishops in the world to initiate canonical trials in the modern era. He did so in relation to . . . Fr Bill Carney in 1990.” The blank in the report indicates the missing name of Tony Walsh.
Sitting on the tribunal that laicised Walsh in 1992 were three canon lawyers: the recently retired bishop of Killaloe, Willie Walsh; the current Bishop of Dromore, John McAreavey; and Fr Paddy Corcoran.
It is also known from the report itself that it investigated the church tribunal in Dublin that found in 1992 that Walsh should be laicised on foot of allegations of child sex abuse.
It states that “only two canonical trials took place over the 30-year period [investigated]. Both were at the instigation of [then] Archbishop Connell and the Commission gives him credit for initiating the two penal processes which led to the dismissal of Fr Bill Carney in 1990”.
The report also says: “Archbishop Connell was one of the first bishops in the world to initiate canonical trials in the modern era. He did so in relation to . . . Fr Bill Carney in 1990.” The blank in the report indicates the missing name of Tony Walsh.
Sitting on the tribunal that laicised Walsh in 1992 were three canon lawyers: the recently retired bishop of Killaloe, Willie Walsh; the current Bishop of Dromore, John McAreavey; and Fr Paddy Corcoran.
Bishop
Willie Walsh has said he understood at the time that the archdiocese
had told the Garda about the tribunal findings. It had not. Neither did
McAreavey, Corcoran or Bishop Éamonn Walsh, who was aware of the
tribunal and its findings at the time.
Tony Walsh appealed the tribunal decision to Rome, and the ensuing process took a further three years. In 1994, as that appeal progressed, Walsh sexually assaulted the 11-year-old grandson of a man whose funeral he attended dressed as a priest.
Tony Walsh appealed the tribunal decision to Rome, and the ensuing process took a further three years. In 1994, as that appeal progressed, Walsh sexually assaulted the 11-year-old grandson of a man whose funeral he attended dressed as a priest.
The boy’s parents contacted the Garda.
Walsh received a one-year jail sentence for the offence in 1995.
By then Rome had commuted Walsh’s laicisation. He would remain a priest but spend a decade in a monastery.
By then Rome had commuted Walsh’s laicisation. He would remain a priest but spend a decade in a monastery.
When Walsh was convicted in the
courts Archbishop Desmond Connell flew to Rome and insisted that Walsh
be laicised.
He was.
SIC: IT/IE