The Dublin archdiocese may have to curtail its pastoral services in the future to finance the mounting cost of compensation to victims of clerical sex abuse. A spokeswoman for the diocese said the €12.4 million (€9.1m in settlements and €3.3 m in legal costs for both sides) paid out in settlements to date had been taken out of ''funds that are available to the archbishop to use at his own discretion''.
''But those funds aren't going to be there indefinitely, in the future we have to change and adapt as the needs arise,'' the spokeswoman said.
''Given the information that continues to come to light, it is clear that some Diocesan pastoral planning may have to be curtailed to allow for adequate compensation of victims of abuse and other child protection services.''
She was unable to give any further details of where cuts to pastoral spending might take place adding that ''there is nothing hard and fast about it at the moment, we just have to take consideration of the need as it will arise.''
According to its latest update, the diocese have also spent approximately €6 million in child protection and related services.
Fr Jim Caffrey, Director of Catholic Youth Care said his agency's main source of funding was from the annual diocesan collection which took place last week.
''I would hope that we would be able to retain that but I fully understand that the archbishop will have to make provision for compensation of abuse victims.''
To date, 120 civil actions have been brought against 35 Dublin priests or priests who held appointments in the diocese. Of these 94 have been concluded and 26 are ongoing.
The Commission of Inquiry into clerical child abuse in the Archdiocese is due to report in January having secured three extensions to deal with the unprecedented number of claims.
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(Source: IC)