THE Diocese of Killaloe has not ruled out the possibility of its parishioners being asked for financial contributions towards clerical abuse compensation payouts, as is happening in Ferns. Bishop of Killaloe, Willie Walsh, told the Irish Examiner that "it is possible that such a situation could arise".
To date, the diocese has paid out over €1.3 million in compensation and legal fees, money generated from the sale of land beside the bishop’s home.
The diocese could not say anticipate how much they could have to pay out in the future.
The Archbishop of Tuam, Dr Michael Neary, (pictred) said that his diocese had paid out up to €890,000 on settlements and lawyers’ fees and that "there is no way of knowing what future expenses there will be in this area" and whether they would have to ask congregations for voluntary payments.
The Archdiocese of Dublin said they had no plans to ask church goers for a contribution to damages or lawyers’ fees.
The diocese of Waterford and Lismore refused to comment on issues in other dioceses while the Bishop of Kilmore, Leo O’Reilly, (pictured) admitted his dioceses’ resources were limited and that they would have to "plan prudently" and review circumstances regularly.
Bishop of Ferns, Dr Denis Brennan, told the Diocesan Finance Committee on Monday night that the diocese has paid out €8.1m in compensation and legal fees surrounding 48 abuse cases.
A further 12 civil actions are pending and the diocese has estimated that it will need to pay out a further €1.8m – however it can only fund half of this sum. It has asked parishioners if they would voluntarily fund the outstanding monies.
Bishop Brennan said that "80% of the road of justice has been travelled" and that as they neared the end, they were "inviting the parishes to become part of the process financially".
"Funding sought is not about sharing the blame, it about asking for help to fulfil a God-given responsibility.
‘That I did not cause this problem’ is not the response of the Christian; ‘that I would like to help in the work of justice, healing, reconciliation, a safer environment for children, proper financial stewardship and overall good economic health’ is," he said.
An inquiry into paedophile priests in Ferns uncovered an appalling catalogue of abuse with more than 100 allegations against 21 priests from the 1960s to 2005.
The Government has paid €650,000 in taxpayers’ money towards the Bermingham and Ferns Inquiries.
The diocese had a legal bill of €2.1m following these inquiries.
It also spent €1.4m that it had in reserves, €1.5m from its insurance covers, €5.8m from the Church’s Stewardship Fund while offenders have paid up to €105,000 to the diocese.
A 20-year mortgage of €1.8m has been placed on the Bishop’s House at a repayment of €120,000 per year so they can pay outstanding monies due.
It is hoped that earnings generated from the rental of Church property and from other donations to the Church will be used to pay half of this mortgage.
If the property market improves, there are also church lands that could be sold, according to the diocese.
The sale of these could pay off a large chunk of the mortgage.
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