Church must be vigilant in safeguarding children - Bishop Leo O'Reilly

As the furore over the report on the Diocese of Cloyne continues the Bishop of Kilmore, Leo O'Reilly, has renewed his appeal to anyone with information regarding child sexual abuse by priests in the Diocese to make contact with one of the designated persons, the Garda Siochana, the HSE or a support service of their choice. Bishop O'Reilly has welcomed publication of the report of the Commission of Investigation into the handling by Church and State authorities of allegations and suspicions of child sexual abuse against a number of clerics in the Diocese of Cloyne. "My first thoughts are for those who have been abused. I feel great disappointment and dismay that the authorities whose responsibility it was to implement nationally agreed procedures failed to do so and left children at risk. Their failure has compounded the suffering of those who have been abused and their families", said Bishop O'Reilly. He said that the report was a reminder of how necessary it was for bishops and for those in positions of responsibility to be continually vigilant and pro-active in ensuring that the Safeguarding of Children procedures were fully and consistently implemented in dioceses. The guidelines and standards were about ensuring that our Church was a safe place for children, he said. "It is particularly heartening that it was the excellent work of the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church that drew public attention to practices that were of concern. Hopefully this will go a long way to building confidence that the Catholic Church takes the safety of children as a paramount concern", stated Bishop O'Reilly. "Finally, I repeat the appeal I have made before that anyone with information regarding child sexual abuse by priests in Kilmore diocese make contact with one of our Designated Persons, the Garda Síochána, the Health Service Executive or a support service of their choice. If they wish to access counselling they may contact the free, confidential helpline of the independent counselling service, Towards Healing", explained the Bishop of Kilmore. Contact details of the Diocesan Designated Persons and of Towards Healing are on Church notice boards and on the diocesan website: www.kilmorediocese.ie Statistics on Kilmore In a statement on the Diocese of Kilmore Website the following statistical information on Kilmore diocesan priests is revealed. It also contains information regarding priests from Religious Orders and from other diocese who at some time carried out short-term supply ministry without a formal appointment in the diocese and against whom allegations were made, even where the allegation does not refer to their time in the diocese of Kilmore. Based on the information currently available the following statistics have been compiled regarding the period between 1947 (the earliest year to which an allegation refers) and 1 January 2011. Number of priests of the diocese against whom allegations have been made amounts to 7. Three of these priests are deceased. One is out of ministry and one has left the priesthood. Number of priests from other dioceses against whom allegations were made is one. This priest retired in the diocese and is deceased. Garda investigations In two cases the Gardai did not find evidence to proceed any further. In three cases files were sent to the DPP. In two of these three cases the DPP decided not to proceed. In one case the DPP issued court proceedings leading to the conviction of the accused. This priest is currently serving a five year prison sentence. Number of Religious priests against whom allegations were made was three. Two Religious priests, whose order is located in the diocese, were convicted in the courts. One is deceased. Number of Religious Brothers against whom allegations have been made was three. All allegations received have been reported to the statutory authorities. Designated person Sr Suzie Duffy who is the new designated person to receive complaints of child abuse by Church personnel told The Anglo Celt that both herself and Fr Sean Mawn, as the Assistant Designated person, start the ball rolling as soon as a complaint is made. "We would be responsible for managing the response from start to the finish. Initially that would involve briefing the Gardai and the HSE, the PSNI and the Social Services in Northern Ireland, because part of the diocese goes into the North", said Sr Duffy. "Then we would let the Bishop know that there was an allegation against either a priest or a volunteer working in the Church and we would inform the National Board in Maynooth and seek their advice", she explained. They would then contact the Advisory Board which they shared with two other diocese. "We would go to them and present the case and then they would advise the Bishop in the matter", she said. While all that was taking place they would keep in contact with the person who made the allegation to let them know how things were proceeding. "I have to keep a record of everything I have done from start to finish and that is called a case file. All the various details are recorded under the various headings", she explained. Sr Suzie said that all volunteers working on behalf of the Church have to adhere to policies, procedures and codes of behaviour. "It might be possible in the future that there might be an allegation against a volunteer who may be in charge of a child activity in the parish and the same procedures would apply", she said. Sr Suzie is also the safeguarding co-ordinator in the diocese and took over the additional role of Designated Officer at the beginning of July, from Fr Anthony Fagan. As stated Fr Sean Mawn is the Assistant Designated Officer.