DISGRACED Bishop Brendan Comiskey (pic'd here) is set to become the first member of the Church hierarchy to give evidence in an abuse case.The Irish Independent has learnt that Bishop Comiskey, who has made one public appearance in Wexford since he stepped down as Bishop of Ferns, is one of a number of witnesses subpeonaed to appear in the High Court in a compensation action taken by an alleged abuse victim.
Five years ago, the bishop was forced to resign over claims that he had failed to deal adequately with a host of allegations that Fr Sean Fortune and other clerics were abusing children in the diocese.
The alleged victim is suing the diocese in what is expected to be the first diocesan abuse case to go to full hearing in the High Court.
All other diocesan cases involving civil compensation claims were settled before the matter reached full hearing.
Policy
Last night, diocesan spokesperson Fr John Carroll said the diocese did not discuss cases before an outcome. Speaking from Rome, he said: "It is our policy not to discuss individual cases, whether they are criminal, civil or canonical, until they are concluded."
The highest payout by Church authorities to a sex abuse victim was made to Progressive Democrat candidate Colm O'Gorman, who received €300,000.
Mr O'Gorman, the founder of abuse support group One in Four, was sexually abused by the late Fr Sean Fortune in the 1980s.
Two years ago, the Ferns diocese was branded the most evil Roman Catholic diocese in the world after publication of a report that unveiled a sickening catalogue of more than 100 incidents of child sex abuse by 21 priests over of 40 years.
Report
The report, the first state inquiry into clerical sex abuse, detailed how predatory paedophiles went to great lengths to groom young victims
It also emerged last night that the total cost of settlement claims paid by the Dublin archdiocese to victims of clerical sexual abuse has risen to €7.8m.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said yesterday that this consisted of €5.6m in settlements and €2.2m in legal costs for both sides.
In the past year alone, the diocese has paid out €1.5m in claims and a further €500,000 in legal costs.
Over the past four years, the diocese has invested almost €3m in child protection service and other related aid for victims.
Archbishop Martin has identified 147 priests and members of religious orders against whom allegations were made or suspicions raised of child sex abuse since 1940.
This is an increase of 45 on the 102 priests and church staff identified last year by the archbishop after a search of the diocesan archive, which he made available to the Government commission of inquiry into the country's largest diocese.
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