THE High Court yesterday cleared the way for the publication next week of a damning report into the handling of clerical sex abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese that "will shock us all". However, references to a second priest facing abuse charges are to be censored.
Last night victim support groups, who welcomed the ruling, were bracing themselves for an increase in calls to their services when the report is published, most likely within days of Tuesday's cabinet meeting.
Victims also pleaded with the Government not to bury publication of the report with the upcoming Budget.
"It should be published no later than the middle or late next week, no later," said Andrew Madden, the first person to go public about the abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese.
Marie Collins, who was also abused as a child by a Dublin priest, said: "The stress over the last five weeks has been dreadful. I just hope there are no more delays."
Diarmuid Martin, the Archbishop of Dublin -- who clashed with his predecessor Cardinal Desmond Connell last year over the release of secret Church files to the commission of investigation into child sexual abuse in Ireland's largest diocese -- also welcomed the ruling.
Dr Martin said that it was his preference that the report would be published in its entirety, but he understood that complex issues had to be considered before publication.
Dr Martin, who addressed an inter-church meeting of Christian leaders at Emmaus conference centre in Swords, Co Dublin, left immediately after his speech at lunchtime yesterday to return to his office in Drumcondra to hear news of the court ruling.
He has repeatedly stressed that the report "will shock us all" and has called on his clergy and laity to receive its findings with humility.
Last month, the High Court ruled that all but one section of the report -- Chapter 19 -- could be published, as long as all references to one particular priest and his victims were removed.
But Justice Minister Dermot Ahern, after consultation with the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions, sent the report back to High Court Judge Mr Justice Paul Gilligan for a second time - amid fears the report could prejudice criminal proceedings against a second priest, who is largely dealt with in Chapter 20 of the report.
Warrants
It emerged yesterday that criminal warrants were issued by the District Court against the second priest on October 2 and October 5 of this year.
The issuing of the warrants coincided with a two-day High Court hearing from which the public and media were excluded. Judge Gilligan made his initial ruling, which did not censor Chapter 20 or address the second priest, on October 15.
Yesterday he said he had come to the conclusion specific parts of the report might prejudice a criminal trial and ordered references which identify the subject matter of Chapter 20 and his brother not to be published.
Up to 450 people have made abuse claims against former priests in the diocese since 1940.
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