Ireland: Reports note progress in Catholic Church's safeguarding policy

A fresh review of child safeguarding policy in the Catholic Church in Ireland has praised the ‘victim-focused’ approach of the Archdiocese of Dublin.

The audit by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland, said procedures in Dublin had ‘turned around’ from a ‘shocking and grievous situation’. In 2011, the archdiocese was accused of depending largely on two people to maintain child safeguarding procedures.

The NSBCCCI praised the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev Diarmuid Martin, who regularly meets abuse victims, saying: “These meetings are extremely well prepared for, which is evidence of great care being taken to ensure that they are not simply procedural in nature and atmosphere."

Dublin is unique among dioceses in appointing a priest delegate to liaise with priests about child safeguarding, and a priest support co ordinator, to monitor and assist priests leaving ministry after allegations.

This was the eighth audit to date of the safeguarding procedures of the Archdiocese of Dublin, the largest Irish diocese, where 432 accusations of abuse have been levelled against 101 of 1,350 priests to serve the local Church between 1940 and 2013.

The Director of Safeguarding for Dublin Archdiocese, Andrew Fagan, said: “The child safeguarding structures are now sufficiently rooted and robust to survive the movement of personnel from their current positions in the archdiocese.”

The report - the fifth tranche of Church child safeguarding policy reviews by the NSBCCCI - also reviewed safeguarding policies in the dioceses of Killaloe, Cloyne and Meath, and among the Presentation Brothers, the Patrician Brothers, the Benedictines of Glenstal Abbey, the Columbans and the Divine Word Missionaries.

‘Very good progress’ was reported overall, but the NSBCCCI said in religious congregations, although there has been a total ‘seachange’ in consciousness about the need to report abuse allegations to the Gardai, the speed with which this happens is slower than is the case in Dioceses.

The Presentation Brothers, in particular, had delayed months in reporting allegations made against deceased brothers and lay teachers. "They were promptly reported once they were discovered, but again that should have been picked up earlier,” said Teresa Devlin, CEO of the NSBCCC.

She commended the Diocese of Killaloe, whose safeguarding representatives were found to show sensitivity and compassion towards abuse victims. The Right Rev Kieran O’Reilly, Bishop of Killaloe urged more victims to come forward, saying: “Abuse of children is reprehensible and there are no words that can adequately express the depth of pain endured by people who have been sexually abused.”

The Diocese of Cloyne - whose safeguarding policies have, like those of Dublin Archdiocese, been scrutinised in a national inquiry, was also said to have improved procedures. “On my Ordination Day some 15 months ago I committed myself to do all that I can, with others in the diocese, to continue to bring healing and new hope to the lives of all victims of abuse and their families,” said the Right Reverend William Crean, Bishop of Cloyne, adding: “The diocese has come a long way but the work goes on to ensure best practice in safeguarding every child in Cloyne.” The fourth diocese audited, Meath, also earned praise for the ‘dynamism’ and ‘commitment’ of its safeguarding team.

Other NSBCCCI findings include the following:

Reporting to the civil authorities in relation to allegations against living priests/brothers is now very prompt but the delays in the past are acknowledged.

Removal from ministry is now always considered and judgments are made on basis of an examination of the information available. Advice is consistently sought from Advisory panels, NCMRG, and civil authorities

Management plans relating to accused priests and brothers are’variable’.

The NSBCCI recorded that most offences had occurred between 1940 -2000, and declined after 2000, noting “there is still a need for vigilance and constant oversight and prompt action as noted in the conviction of a priest who abused children up until 2011.”

It said some priests abused very quickly after ordination - which raised questions about formation.

A number were charismatic, popular priests, and some had other addictive problems e.g. alcoholism.

So far 37 Church authorities have been audited in Ireland (26 dioceses and 11 Religious Congregations/Missionary Societies).

To read the NCBCCI reports see: www.safeguarding.ie/5th-tranche-review-reports/