Pressure mounts for further judicial inquiries into clerical sex abuse in Catholic dioceses

Added: 01-12-2011

Pressure is mounting for further judicial inquiries into clerical sex abuse in Catholic dioceses around the country after a series of damning reports suggested that many cases were covered up.

Audits conducted by a church child-protection watchdog found serious delays in reporting allegations to gardai in one diocese and in another priests were routinely moved from parish to parish following complaints.

The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church (NBSCCC) found that 164 separate allegations had been made against 85 priests, dating back to 1975.

However, fewer than one in 10 of the priests complained of ended up being convicted.

The NBSCCC findings were published yesterday about six dioceses but the most serious conclusions were in relation to Raphoe and Derry.

In the Raphoe diocese, successive bishops made "significant errors of judgment" when allegations were made against priests. A total of 54 claims were made against 14 priests in the diocese.

And church personnel responsible for child protection in Raphoe were unaware of reporting guidelines.

Maeve Lewis Director of the One in Four Groups says that many of the survivors who have contacted their service since its publication are disappointed that audits did not include any examination of what happened in the past