EDUCATION Minister Batt O’Keeffe has called on Bishop John Magee to reflect on the serious issues raised in last week’s report about his handling of clerical sex abuse in the diocese where he is patron to schools catering for 17,000 pupils. There are almost 130 primary schools under Catholic patronage in the Diocese of Cloyne and Children’s Minister Barry Andrews has raised concerns about the bishop’s continuing role in that regard.
Mr O’Keeffe believes the contents of the report were “of serious import” but he stopped short of calling on him to step down.
“It’s appropriate now that Bishop Magee is now given time to reflect on those contents,” said the minister’s spokesman.
However, he pointed out that the minister has no legal power to remove anyone as patron, following calls from the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) to decide on the bishop’s suitability as a school patron.
“While his position as bishop is a matter for the Catholic Church and for himself, Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe must decide in relation to his position as patron of the schools,” said INTO general secretary John Carr.
Under the Education Act, the minister has responsibility for registering school patrons but it does not set out procedures for removing a patron from the register.
Áine Lynch, chief executive of the National Parents Council (Primary) said “children have to be the priority” in the handling of the matter.
Mr Andrews said yesterday: “[Bishop Magee] has a supervisory role over those who are responsible for delivery of primary school education in the area of Cloyne. I think he should reflect on that.”
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(Source: IE)