THE REFERRAL of the Diocese of Cloyne to a commission of investigation confirmed fears about the manner in which child sexual abuse allegations were dealt with by Bishop John Magee, Fine Gael said yesterday. However, party spokesman on children Alan Shatter criticised Minister for Children Barry Andrews over his "inaction and failure" to publish the report of the Catholic Church's National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC) at a much earlier juncture.
The Minister received a copy of the church-commissioned report in July 2009, and it was published by the Diocese of Cloyne last month.
Mr Shatter said the gravity of that report's findings raised serious questions about Mr Andrews's handling of the matter.
Labour TD Sean Sherlock said the decision to refer the diocese to the commission was welcome. "I believe that Minister Andrews had no alternative but to take this action," he said.
"I hope that this move will provide some solace for those who were victims of clerical sexual abuse in the Diocese of Cloyne and who were clearly failed by those in positions of authority," said Mr Sherlock, whose constituency of Cork East is in the Cloyne diocese.
Mr Shatter said the implications of the report published yesterday were very serious. While saying the referral was the appropriate action, he said it could "not distract from the scandalous failure of the Government to ensure that the State properly complies with its obligations of child protection".
Mr Sherlock also renewed his call for Bishop Magee to resign, saying his position was no longer tenable. "I believe that the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, has now set the standard for other dioceses, both in terms of how allegations of clerical sex abuse should be dealt with and on the need to put the interests of children first."
He said provision should be made for a Dáil debate. "The Dáil is entitled to an explanation as to why the Minister failed to take any action on foot of the NBSC report for the six-month period in which the report was in his possession.
"If he now considers it to be of sufficient seriousness to refer it to the commission, why did he do nothing with the report for six months?"
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(Source: IT)