Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Report on sex abuse 'to be worse than Ferns'

THE Government Tuesday discussed the fourth major report into clerical child sexual abuse when Justice Minister Alan Shatter presented horrific findings from the Cork diocese of Cloyne.

The report's findings are expected to be even graver than in Dublin and Ferns.

Last Monday night sources indicated that the Cabinet will approve the 400-page report of the Murphy Commission of Inquiry, and order its immediate publication.

Preparations were being made on Monday night to allow victims and the media to read in advance the detailed 26 chapters of abuse complaints against 19 priests over a 13-year period from January 1 1996 to 2009.

"An hour has been allocated for a pre-publication read ahead of a news conference which Mr Shatter is planning to hold at midday," a source said.

The report is said to be damning of former Bishop John Magee's failures to implement agreed child protection procedures.

But it also likely to highlight the failure of the gardai and health services in dealing with a number of abuse complaints.