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Over €2 million has been paid out to victims of clerical child sex abuse in the diocese of Killaloe new figures recently released have indicated.
Payments to victims of abuse at the hands of Catholic priests in the diocese have broken through the €2 million barrier, with the latest statement of accounts provided by the diocese of Killaoe confirming the extent of the payments.
Money given to victims, which has been labelled as 'Special Payments' in the acounts amonted to €195,799 in 2010, while the statement of the diocesan financial affairs also reveal that €232,363 was paid out in 2009.
The cumulative figure for 2009/2010 of €428,262 brings to €2.4 million the amount in compensation payments to victims of abuse in the diocese since 2003.
These payments are understood to have been made to 55 complainints and involved 15 priests, all of which related to child abuse between 1955 and 1990. Most of these payments have been made from a trust fund that was established by Bishop Emeritus Walsh in 2002 from the sale of land at Westbourne in Ennis for €1.5 million.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the diocese said the most recent payments were made "by way of assistance towards healing for survivors of abuse." Commenting on the figures, Bishop Kieran O'Reilly said the payment of €195,799 was made in 2010 "towards healing and reconciliation."
"With regard to the safeguarding of children, the diocese continues to inisist that best practice is adopted, and state guidelines are adhered to by all in our parish communities who work and interact with children adn young people."
"A great deal of time and resources continues to be committed to dealing with the tragic result of sexual abuse by a small number of clergy in the past." added Bishop O'Reilly.
These comments come on the back of renewed committments and promises by the Diocese of Killaloe to publish the results of an audit into the child protection policy in the diocese which is currently being completed by the HSE.