The Children's Minister has demanded that the Vatican should respond to the Cloyne Report on child clerical abuse within weeks.
Frances
Fitzgerald said it would not be acceptable if the Vatican delayed in
addressing the Government's concerns about child safety in the Catholic
Church and Co Cork diocese.
The minister spoke out after the head of the Vatican press office said the Holy See will "respond in good time".
"The Tanaiste has asked the Vatican to respond urgently," said Ms Fitzgerald.
"Cloyne
is such a serious report. It has such implications. We are looking for
an immediate reply from the Vatican on the serious issues raised in
Cloyne and a clarity about the Church approach to what is in Cloyne. I
think the next couple of weeks we would like to see an initial response
from the Vatican."
The Cloyne Diocese is the latest part of the
Church in Ireland to be exposed over shocking clerical abuse and
cover-ups, with former bishop John Magee - a Vatican aide to three Popes
- singled out for misleading investigators and "dangerous" failures on
child protection.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny this week launched an
unprecedented attack on the Vatican, accusing the Catholic hierarchy of
putting the Church ahead of child rape victims.
He claimed the latest
inquiry into clerical abuse cover-ups exposed a dysfunctional, elite
hierarchy determined to frustrate investigations.
Vatican
spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi on Thursday said the Holy See will
respond in good time to the questions posed by the Government regarding
the report on the diocese of Cloyne.
"In any event, we hope the current discussion regarding these dramatic issues may proceed with due objectivity," he stated.
"In
this way it can contribute to the cause we must all have most at heart:
namely, the protection of children and young people and the renewal of a
climate of trust and collaboration, both in the Church and society -
something the Pope himself calls for in his Letter to the Catholics of
Ireland."