The State inquiry into the handling of allegations of clerical abuse
in the Cloyne diocese has allegedly been hampered by a lack of
co-operation between State authorities.
Previously published documentation, including an audit of the
management of abuse complaints in the diocese, found that the Gardaí had
failed to inform childcare authorities about at least one allegation of
sexual abuse for more than two years after they had been told about the
alleged incident.
Now, a report in The Sunday Business Post newspaper alleges that the
Bishop of Cloyne, John Magee, informed a senior garda in December 2005
about a complaint which came to the bishop's attention.
However, when the alleged victim asked the Health Service Executive
(HSE) about the status of the case in August 2007, the HSE claimed it
had never been informed about the matter, either by gardaí or by Church
authorities.
After the bishop passed the details of the complaint onto a senior
garda, members of the force held more than a dozen meetings with the
bishop, the victim and representatives of the self-confessed abuser.
However, at no stage did they contact the HSE's childcare and protection
team, according to the HSE.
This instance is understood to feature prominently in the report of
the commission, which was submitted to Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern
last month.
The report will now be submitted to the Attorney General Paul
Gallagher, who will decide what parts may be published.
It will also be
sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, James
Hamilton, to ensure that none of the persons named in the report is
currently facing trial and could have the case against them prejudiced
by publication.
Legislation also provides that the Minister can submit the report to
the High Court for adjudication on whether it should be published in
full or in a redacted form.
Bishop Magee came in for sustained criticism after a 2008 audit found
that his child protection policies were inadequate.
Archbishop Dermot
Clifford was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as administrator of Cloyne
in early 2009 and Bishop Magee resigned a year later.
SIC: IRC/IE