Statement following meeting between bishops and survivors of institutional abuse

08 Feb 2010

PRESS RELEASE
8 February 2010

Statement following meeting between bishops and survivors of institutional abuse

On 7 October last a meeting took place between representatives of four survivors’ groups – Right to Peace, Alliance Support Group, Irish SOCA and Right of Place – and the Irish Bishops’ Conference.

At that meeting it was agreed that a representative group of bishops would continue to meet with survivors: Bishop Colm O’Reilly, Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, Bishop John Mc Areavey, Bishop of Dromore, Bishop John Buckley, Bishop of Cork and Ross and Bishop John Fleming, Bishop of Killala.

The first meeting of this group took place on 11 December last (see statement of 11 December 2009 on www.catholicbishops.ie). A second meeting took place today in Maynooth involving Mr Tom Hayes of the Alliance Support Group, Mr John Kelly and Mr Patrick Walsh of Irish SOCA, Mr Michael O’Brien of Right to Peace, Mr Michael Walsh of Right of Place and Bishop O’Reilly, Bishop McAreavey, Bishop Buckley and Bishop Fleming.

Today’s meeting informs Irish bishops in their preparations for their visit to Rome next week to meet Pope Benedict XVI.

Bishop John McAreavey said “Today’s meeting was constructive and helpful to us as we prepare to meet the Holy Father next week. The meeting focused on the ongoing concerns of survivors. We intend to relay these concerns to Pope Benedict both verbally and in the form of written submissions which were presented to us today by survivors and which directly represent their views.”

Ends

Further information:
Martin Long, Director of Communications 086 172 7678