Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Audits highlight delays in reporting child abuse

 
Seven reports reviewing child protection practices in a number of Ireland's Catholic dioceses and religious orders have been published.

The audits have found a higher incidence of abuse allegations against members of religious congregations than against priests in the four dioceses that have been audited.

Reports on the audits say full compliance with child protection guidelines is still some way off.

The audits were conducted by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the four dioceses and, for the first time, three religious congregations.

They deal with more than 330 allegations of abuse against 146 priests and members of those congregations.

The reports found good practice in places, contrasting with very poor practice elsewhere.
Helplines for those affected by abuse are on Aertel page 127.

The authors discovered examples where offenders were able to continue abusing children for longer than they should have, because individuals who were known to be a risk were not properly managed.

They also uncovered allegations of abuse that had not been reported to gardaí, commenting that full compliance with child protection practices agreed three years ago is still some way off.

Those allegations were immediately reported on the insistence of the board, resulting in several new garda investigations.

These are expected to lead to criminal charges in a number of cases.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Six One News, Chief Executive of the National Board of Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church Ian Elliott said he was shocked and disappointed with what the audits found in religious orders.

Mr Elliot said the level of abuse was much higher in the orders than in the any diocese examined so far.

He said there was evidence of very poor practice and the safeguarding framework that existed was not of a nature or stage that they would have wanted.

He said one of the most concerning discoveries was that a number of the individuals who identified as abusers had worked in schools, and the abuse had taken place within schools.

Mr Elliot said in some cases the bad management involved them being moved from one school to another - something that should never happen.

He said in dioceses, the bishop is such an important person that everyone who occupies that role needs to be competent with regard to safeguarding children. He said it is not acceptable for a bishop not to be up to the mark.

Audits of dioceses: Cork and Ross, Limerick, Clonfert, and Kildare and Leighlin.

Audits of religious congregations: Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, the Dominicans and the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans).

Key points:

Limerick
 
- 45 allegations received against 26 priests
- 12 priests still alive, eight out of ministry, four retired
- Four priests against whom allegations were made still in ministry
- Most allegations relate to 1960, 1970s and 1980s
- One "potentially dangerous" case in 1980s identified
- 44 of 48 national criteria fulfilled


Kildare and Leighlin
 
- 18 allegations made against ten priests between 1975 and 2012
- Eight priests dead, two out of ministry
- One priest convicted of sexual abuse offences
- One priest faced serious criminal charges but died before trial took place
- Diocese without a bishop since resignation of James Moriarty in 2010
- Progress in relation to protection of children across all parishes


Cork and Ross
 
- 50 allegations made against 26 priests since 1975
- 18 priests living at time of review, eight dead, 15 out of ministry
- Four priests convicted of offences against children
- Seven retired, three in ministry
- The diocese met 42 of the 47 review criteria
- Five administrative issues were highlighted, which are to be resolved by year end
- Report voiced concern about the need for better information on any allegations or convictions held by priests retiring in Ireland from overseas


Clonfert

- 11 allegations against three priests (two subsequently withdrawn)
- Two priests living at time of review (one has since died)
- Two priests out of ministry or retired
- One priest convicted of offence/s
- New cases should all be recorded using the NBSCCC case file template
- Diocese has signed up to engaging with NBSCCC in rolling out the new church specific training


Irish Province of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit
 
- 142 allegations against 47 members were reported to gardaí and HSE since 1975
- Eight members still alive, 36 dead, one in ministry, three out of ministry
- Three convicted of offence/s against children
- Allegations before 1994 not reported for significant number of years
- Possible other victims who have not come forward
- Provincial since 1994 has greater awareness of child abuse


Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
 
- Allegations against 17 priests
- Six priests dead, seven out of ministry, three left the society
- Allegations against one priest not substantiated
- One priest received a prison sentence
- People who were aware of abuse saw no need to report that fact to gardaí
- Actions in past demonstrated complete disregard for the victims
- Considerable efforts made to address the poor practice that took place previously


Dominican Friars
 
- 52 allegations against 27 friars since 1975
- 12 living at time of review, 15 dead, four out of ministry, four left the order
- Two friars convicted of offences against children
- Long delays in dealing with allegations prior to 2010
- Significant gaps in written records
- Order now shows a real sense of accepting past failures and offered redress