Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan has asked members of the force to
investigate if charges can be brought against Irish missionaries and
priests who are alleged to have abused children while working outside
the State.
The Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Investigation Unit has been asked to examine an RTÉ Prime Time Investigates programme which aired last Monday night and highlighted several alleged cases of abuse by Irish religious working in Africa.
Gardaí
are liaising with the Health Service Executive about child protection
issues arising from the presence of a number of the persons identified
in the programme in the State.
Minister of Justice Alan Shatter Tuesday said the reports left him with “a sense of revulsion at the
unspeakable catalogue of abuse against children” and that Mr Callinan
shared his concern.
“While the behaviour took place abroad, we
have a solemn duty to do all that is within our power to ensure that
perpetrators of this predatory abuse of children are brought to justice
wherever it takes place,” he said.
The Irish Missionary Union said
it condemned “unreservedly” incidents of abuse or inappropriate
behaviour at home or abroad resulting in children or vulnerable adults
being abused.
“Ever since the extent of the evil of child abuse
has come to light in recent years, the Irish Missionary Union has worked
tirelessly in raising awareness among our members and our co-workers in
mission of the reality of child sexual abuse and the havoc it wreaks on
people’s lives, whether at home or abroad,” the union said in a
statement responding to the programme.
The union said it would
intensify efforts to promote good child safeguarding practice where it
serves and “root out this evil that has cast such a deep shadow over our
efforts”.
The Department of Justice said that the Sexual Offences
(Jurisdiction) Act 1996 allows persons to be tried here for sexual
offences against a child which are committed abroad in some
circumstances.
Mr Shatter said investigations into matters which
occurred outside the State were very difficult and that he did not want
to raise unrealistic expectations about what could be achieved.
“But
I believe that people are entitled to be reassured that we are doing
everything open to us to counteract this evil wherever it takes place
and that the examination which the gardaí will be undertaking should
offer that reassurance,” he said.
Support group One in Four said
it has been inundated with calls from Irish people and Africans living
in Ireland over the programme.
Executive director Maeve Lewis
welcomed Mr Shatter’s announcement that he has referred the matter to
the Garda Commissioner but called for an independent inquiry with the
power to compel witnesses and records.
Ms Lewis called on the
Minister to extend the terms of reference of the Murphy commission to
the missionary orders.
“We also call on the Irish Missionary Union to
ensure that rigorous child protection guidelines and training be put in
place in their member congregations in the developing world,” she said.