ELDERLY nuns, priests and brothers who abused children in religious run institutions could face trial in the courts after a groundswell of support by the authorities for criminal investigations into their behaviour. The President, the Justice Minister and senior gardaí yesterday all urged victims to formally make complaints, regardless of how old their abusers might be now or how long ago the incidents happened.
The moves were welcomed by survivors’ groups.
"It is not too late. It is time for the voiceless to express all of what the endured and what they were forced to witness," said Christine Buckley, director of the Aislinn support group.
More than 800 individuals were identified by the Ryan Commission as abusing children sexually, physically or both at more than 200 institutional settings. A Garda hotline has been set up for complaints about them and Justice Minister Dermot Ahern urged people to use it.
"The crimes that have been committed in this are so enormous that they can not in any way be swept under the carpet," he said.
His plea followed strong remarks by President Mary McAleese.
"In so far as there are people still alive who are responsible for these criminal acts then part and parcel of what comes out of the Ryan Report is and should be that they are brought before the proper authorities," she said.
Health Mary Harney said talks between religious orders and the Taoiseach over demands for further financial contributions towards supporting victims would be "very robust".
Green Party leader John Gormley also warned if the orders were not forthcoming in divulging voluntarily the true extent of their wealth, legislation would be enacted to subject them to mandatory audits.
Labour leader Eamon Gilmore meanwhile said the Government should be prepared to forcibly confiscate the assets of the orders.
* The new Garda helpline is 01 6663612.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to us or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Source (IE)
SV (3)