THE Bishop of Cloyne says he is co-operating fully with the National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC), after the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland said people were rightly "angry" over the mishandling of sex abuse allegations.Cardinal Seán Brady said he realised that people felt "let down, angry and bewildered" by what had happened in the diocese of Cloyne.
A spokesman for beleaguered bishop John Magee said that he and the diocese were giving their full co-operation – but would not comment further.
Director of communications Fr Jim Killeen said: "The National Board has and will continue to have full co-operation from the bishop and the diocese of Cloyne in its important work."
Cardinal Brady has admitted that the report by the NBSC, which found the Cork diocese had failed vulnerable children, had brought further stress and strain for victims of child abuse.
The statement puts even more pressure on Bishop John Magee, who was at the helm when the alleged abuse took place, to step down.
The report found that the Diocese of Cloyne had broken its own rules on reporting alleged abuse.
A schoolgirl's allegation and four other similar allegations were never reported by the diocese to the gardaí.
Bishop Magee has refused to consider resigning over the matter and his spokesman would not be drawn further yesterday on his plans.
In a statement, Cardinal Brady said: "The setting up of the independent National Board for Safeguarding Children in 2006 represented an important step in achieving a consistent child safeguarding policy throughout the church in Ireland.
"The findings of the recent report of the National Board into the handling of allegations by the diocese of Cloyne have brought further anxiety to victims of abuse. For many, these findings have brought into question the efforts of thousands of volunteers and trained personnel who are fully committed to implementing statutory guidelines and agreed church policies on safeguarding children throughout the dioceses and parishes of Ireland."
Victims' group One-in-Four welcomed Cardinal Brady's comments but said it was "too little too late".
It reiterated its calls for Bishop Magee to resign.
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(Source: ST)