An all-party motion on the Cloyne report to come before the Dáil today condemns the Vatican's role in child protection.
The motion 'deplores the Vatican's intervention which contributed to
the undermining of child protection frameworks and guidelines of the
Irish state and the Irish bishops.'
Time has been set aside in the Dáil to debate the Commission of Investigation Report into the Cloyne Diocese.
One of the main findings of the report was that the diocese failed to
report nine out of 15 complaints made against priests, which 'very
clearly should have been reported'.
Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi, speaking in a personal
capacity, has said that there was nothing in the advice given by the
papal nuncio in 1997 to encourage bishops to break Irish laws.
He said that the Vatican's advice to Irish bishops on child
protection policies could not be interpreted as an invitation to cover
up abuse cases.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Minister for Justice Alan Shatter
said the comments were disingenuous and he said he expected a more
considered, formal response from the Vatican.