A BISHOP of Limerick allowed a priest with a child abuse conviction to serve in his diocese despite knowing of the cleric's previous criminal behaviour.The National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC) audit believes the priest, who moved from overseas, went on to abuse children again.
Bishop Jeremiah Newman allowed him work in Limerick for less than a year in the '80s, before he was removed.
The report found that it was only after Dr Newman's successor, Dr Donal Murray, became bishop that children's welfare became a priority in Limerick.
"Prior to Bishop Murray, practice was very poor and in our view, in one case, potentially dangerous," the audit said.
Dr Newman served as Bishop from 1975 until his death in 1995. Only after Dr Murray's appointment in 1996 did the diocese share allegations with gardai and the HSE.
Dr Murray resigned from his position in Limerick in 2009 after the Murphy Report criticised his role in a number of cases in the Dublin Diocese.
Last night, Dr Murray said he was "pleased" that the report shows excellent practice in Limerick today.
However, he added: "It is unacceptable that anyone who was abused as a child did not receive all the understanding and respect that they had every right to expect."
The diocese received 45 separate complaints of child abuse concerning 26 priests -- 14 of whom were dead when the complaint was made -- from 1975 to the present.
All child abuse complaints were investigated by gardai, but no convictions were recorded.
Five elderly priests were removed from their ministries by the diocese, even after garda investigations cleared them.
Diocesan Administrator in Limerick, Fr Tony Mullins, said the five priests who were removed are still supported by the church "at a basic level".
Four of the remaining seven are serving as priests or are retired. Three are no longer in the diocese and are not in ministry elsewhere.
Fr Mullins also revealed that the Limerick Diocese has only made settlements worth €323,000 to date with two victims. The settlements were not financed by church collections.
The NBSC found that the diocese fully met 44 out of 48 criteria required for safeguarding practice.
The remaining four citeria were partially met -- the need for development of policies regarding whistle-blowing, IT policy, intimate care and communications.