A NEW allegation of abuse in the diocese of Cloyne has
been made since the report into past abuses and cover ups was published
this week.
The diocese’s recently appointed Delegate for
Safeguarding of Children, Bill Meagher, confirmed yesterday that he had
received an anonymous contact in recent days.
He said he understood the complaint related to a historic allegation of abuse and not to an incident which happened in the recent past.
"I have invited that person to come forward and I have notified gardaí and the HSE about it," Mr Meagher said.
Appointed in February by Archbishop Dermot Clifford, Mr Meagher now occupies the role previously held by Msgr Denis O’Callaghan, whose failings were highlighted in the Cloyne report.
Contrary to the "Church first" approach adopted by Msgr O’Callaghan, Mr Meagher said he had regular meetings with the HSE and had to ensure that any incidents or allegations reported to him had to be followed up appropriately.
He also said he wanted to assure the people of the diocese that all measures were being taken to ensure that there were no child protection issues in the Church in the area.
He said 800 people have been trained in the diocese and all have been vetted.
The Cloyne report stated that two of the priests covered by its remit were still in ministry in the diocese, but Mr Meagher said the report had concluded that there had been no complaints upheld against them and that the HSE did not deem them to be a risk.
The report also highlighted the case of one retired priest who is now being monitored by a parish priest but who still has unsupervised — although regularly checked — access to a computer.
"The priests who are out of ministry have no access to children," Mr Meagher, a qualified social worker, said.
"There is a higher level of monitoring for priests out of ministry than anyone else against whom there are allegations in the state."
A spokesperson for the diocese of Cloyne said a number of measures were now in place to bolster child protection, including the setting up of an advisory panel "to discuss cases involving priests currently in ministry where clarity is lacking on the nature of suspicions raised and/or the course of action to be followed".
Its membership is in line with the National Board for Safeguarding of Children guidelines, while an adviser has been appointed to each priest out of ministry in line with National Board guidelines.
He said he understood the complaint related to a historic allegation of abuse and not to an incident which happened in the recent past.
"I have invited that person to come forward and I have notified gardaí and the HSE about it," Mr Meagher said.
Appointed in February by Archbishop Dermot Clifford, Mr Meagher now occupies the role previously held by Msgr Denis O’Callaghan, whose failings were highlighted in the Cloyne report.
Contrary to the "Church first" approach adopted by Msgr O’Callaghan, Mr Meagher said he had regular meetings with the HSE and had to ensure that any incidents or allegations reported to him had to be followed up appropriately.
He also said he wanted to assure the people of the diocese that all measures were being taken to ensure that there were no child protection issues in the Church in the area.
He said 800 people have been trained in the diocese and all have been vetted.
The Cloyne report stated that two of the priests covered by its remit were still in ministry in the diocese, but Mr Meagher said the report had concluded that there had been no complaints upheld against them and that the HSE did not deem them to be a risk.
The report also highlighted the case of one retired priest who is now being monitored by a parish priest but who still has unsupervised — although regularly checked — access to a computer.
"The priests who are out of ministry have no access to children," Mr Meagher, a qualified social worker, said.
"There is a higher level of monitoring for priests out of ministry than anyone else against whom there are allegations in the state."
A spokesperson for the diocese of Cloyne said a number of measures were now in place to bolster child protection, including the setting up of an advisory panel "to discuss cases involving priests currently in ministry where clarity is lacking on the nature of suspicions raised and/or the course of action to be followed".
Its membership is in line with the National Board for Safeguarding of Children guidelines, while an adviser has been appointed to each priest out of ministry in line with National Board guidelines.