‘Litany of abuse’ in Dublin Archdiocese

November 26, 2009 by Infowars Ireland

www.rte.ie

The report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin has said it has no doubt that clerical child abuse was covered up by the Archdiocese and other church authorities.

Read the full report: Part One | Part Two | Appendices

The report accuses gardaí of connivance with the Church in effectively stifling one complaint, and allowing the perpetrator to leave the country.

The three-volume report, covering a period of abuse from the period 1975 to 2004, was published this afternoon by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.

Read remarks made by Mr Ahern.

Cardinal Desmond Connell

(Photo: Cardinal Desmond Connell)

The report details a litany of abuse perpetrated by priests against more than 300 victims. It says that Archbishop Desmond Connell’s strategies in refusing to admit liability often added to the hurt and grief of many victims of abuse.

The Commission of Investigation cost a total of €3.6m up to April of this year.

The report rubbishes the view put forward by the church that the abuse was hidden from view and somehow took church authorities by surprise.

It states that the vast majority of priests turned a blind eye to abuse although some did bring complaints to their superiors.

In June and July of 2009, just as it was finalising its work, the Commission became aware of additional information which it states may require further investigation and if necessary the preparation of a final report.

Last year, Cardinal Desmond Connell got an injunction against the commission preventing it from examining files.

He withdrew the High Court attemt 11 days later, amid speculation that he may have been persuaded by fellow clergy in retirement to hand over his problems to his successor.

Clerical abuse was covered up

The report states that the Commission has no doubt that clerical child abuse was covered up by the Archdiocese of Dublin and other church authorities.

It states that the structures and rules of the church facilitated that cover-up. It also says that State authorities facilitated the cover up by allowing the church to be beyond the reach of the law.

It claims that the welfare of children, which should have been the first priority, was not even a factor considered in the early days by State and church authorities.

The preservation of the good name, status and assets of church institutions was the first priority, according to the report, which states that priests were seen as the most important members of the institution.

The Commission says that it has identified 320 people who complained of child sexual abuse during the period 1975-2004.

It also states that since May 2004 130 complaints against priests operating in the Dublin Arch Diocese have been made.

The report details the cases of 46 priests guilty of abuse, as a representative sample of 102 priests within its remit.

The report strongly criticises gardaí. It states that senior members of the force regarded priests as being outside their remit and it claims there are examples of gardaí reporting abuse complaints to the Diocese rather than investigating them.

It states that in the 1960s, then Garda Commissioner Costigan’s decision to hand one case to Archbishop McQuaid was inappropriate. It also states that the relationship between some senior gardaí and some priests and Bishops was inappropriate. Read more…