PRESS RELEASE
8 NOVEMBER 2005
ARCHBISHOP SAYS COMMISSION OF INVESTIGATION
WILL HAVE FULL CO-OPERATION OF DUBLIN DIOCESE
The Archbishop of Dublin Dr. Diarmuid Martin has said the Commission
of Investigation announced by the Minister for Justice into how complaints
of child sexual abuse against clergy of the Diocese were handled will
have the full co-operation of the Dublin Diocese.
He re-iterated a pledge made many times in the past, that the Diocese
will co-operate fully with the Commission. As I have said before, it
is vitally important that the truth of what happened regarding abuse
of children by priests is brought to light. We can only begin to fully
address the issue of child abuse when we establish what happened in
the past. Horrendous damage was done to people, compounded by inadequate
responses. He said he hoped the work being done in the Diocese over the
past number of years in this area and the setting up of the Commission
will help establish the truth.
In 2004 an independent child protection consultant was appointed to
examine all files at Archbishops house so as to ensure that all complaints
have been identified and that all relevant information would be readily
available.
The Diocese has co-operated with Garda investigations into complaints
of child abuse by priests of the diocese. It has made available to the
Gardai copies of over 22,000 documents to assist them in their work.
As part of his ongoing focus on this area and following the publication
of the Ferns report, Archbishop Martin wrote to all priests in the
Diocese asking them to consult with the laity as to how the Diocese can
improve on existing child protection structures.
Priests have been asked to convene special meetings of Parish Pastoral
Councils this month to study the recommendations of the report and propose
concrete ideas as to how the Diocese can provide better protection for
children. It is planned to have similar meetings with the Boards of
Management of Dublin schools. The matter is to be added to the agenda
of upcoming Deanery meetings and the next session of the Priests Council.
The Diocesan Women s Forum is also to be consulted.
The Archbishop repeated his appeal to anyone who has been abused by a
priest to come forward to the diocese, the statutory authorities or
any organisation they feel comfortable dealing with.
The Child Protection Service of the Dublin Diocese can be contacted
at 01-8360314 www.cps.dublindiocese.ie
Ends
8th November 2005
Annette O Donnell
Communications Office
Archbishop’s House
Dublin 9
Ireland
Telephone: (01) 836 0723
Facsimile: (01) 836 0793
