Monday, January 31, 2011

Cloyne abuse report may be delayed by further review

Judge Yvonne Murphy's report into the handling of clerical abuse in the Diocese of Cloyne may be further delayed.

It is understood that at least one of the parties dealt with in the report is expected to exercise the right to a judicial review and ask the High Court to adjudicate on the contents of the report with particular reference to mentions of one individual in the text. 

This is in addition to the expected High Court review requested by the Minister for Justice.

The commission - originally established to investigate the handling of allegations of abuse made against priests in Dublin - was extended to cover the Diocese of Cloyne in 2009.

The decision to extend the remit came after a report by the National Board for Safeguarding Children found that child safeguarding policies operated by then Bishop John Magee were inadequate.

Publication

The report is currently being studied by the Attorney General Paul Gallagher, who will advise on what parts may be published.

It will also be sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, James Hamilton, to ensure that none of the persons named in the report is currently facing trial and could have the case against them prejudiced by publication.

Legislation also provides that the Minister can submit the report to the High Court for adjudication on whether it should be published in full or in a redacted form. 

However, at least one individual named in the report is to seek a judicial review into the proposed publication which could considerably delay the publication of the final report.

The report looks at a representative sample of complaints or allegations of child sexual abuse made to the diocesan and other Catholic Church authorities and public and State authorities in the period January 1 1996 to February 1 2009.

Archbishop Dermot Clifford was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as the administrator of Cloyne in early 2009 and Bishop Magee resigned a year later having come in for a sustained level of criticism.

SIC: IT/IE