THE Health Service Executive (HSE) report on the handling of clerical child abuse allegations by the Diocese of Cloyne was launched following the receipt of a specific complaint 17 months ago.Details of that allegation were passed to the Government and HSE by One-in-Four, the lobby group which acts to support the victims of child abuse.
The information was passed to the HSE in October 2007 -- with the complaint involving 'Father A', one of the two unnamed clerics at the centre of the Church's own probe by the watchdog body, the National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC).
The Office of the Minister For Children (OMC) acknowledged its awareness of the allegations in October 2007.
Over the next year, a series of letters were exchanged between the HSE, the OMC and the NBSC about the Cloyne allegations and their management by diocesan childcare protection officials.
But while effectively dealing with the same issues, the HSE and NBSC reports were separate and unconnected.
Several alleged abuse victims have already challenged the status of the HSE report -- warning that while they were aware of the detailed NBSC probe they had no knowledge or direct input into the HSE report.
Children's Minister Barry Andrews has been adamant he had no role in ordering the NBSC report.
"Neither I, nor any official in the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs commissioned or directed the NBSC to carry out an investigation into the Diocese of Cloyne," he said.
"The NBSC was informed that a complaint had been made on September 25, 2007, that the HSE had been notified on October 8, 2007, and that the HSE had been asked to prepare a report for the minister," he added.
Mr Andrews last month signalled his intention to secure Cabinet approval today for publishing the HSE report and implementing its recommendations.
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(Source: II)