The Catholic Primate, Archbishop Seán Brady, and Cardinal Desmond Connell have said that they welcomed the appointment of Mr George Birmingham SC "to advise on an inquiry about matters which have arisen in the diocese of Ferns".
They said that "every possible co-operation" would be offered to Mr Birmingham as he begins his work. They also announced that the bishops were considering the establishment of an independent audit to look at how complaints of child sexual abuse had been dealt with by bishops nationwide "and to consider how clarity, consistency and sensitivity of response may be made to all such complaints".
Both said they were holding consultations on the independent personnel who would undertake such an audit and on the means by which it could be conducted most effectively.
A further statement will be made following a meeting of the Bishops' Conference, expected to take place early next week to discuss all matters arising from the resignation of the Bishop of Ferns, Dr Brendan Comiskey, last Monday. It was announced yesterday that the Vatican will issue a statement at 11 a.m. today regarding that resignation.
Last night, members of Irish SOCA (Survivors of Child Abuse) called on "the people of Ireland" to join with them tomorrow in a protest at the RDS in Dublin during Cardinal Connell's presence at a Christian Brothers' celebration there.
The Irish Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers are celebrating the bicentenary of their founding with a conference, which began last night, entitled "Share the Vision".
The Cardinal will say Mass at noon tomorrow to conclude the event. This will be broadcast live on RTÉ television. He has agreed to meet Irish SOCA representatives.
Irish SOCA had written to the Cardinal opposing his attendance at the celebration as "deeply offensive" to members. In a reply yesterday, Dr Connell said that, while he understood the reasons for the group's opposition, he had decided to attend.
But he regarded it as "wholly necessary that the liturgy should make proper acknowledgement of what you (Mr John Kelly, Irish SOCA spokesman) refer to as 'the darker side' of history", and was satisfied that this would be done.
He also said he would be making his own position on the issue clear at the beginning of the Mass. The Cardinal offered to meet Irish SOCA representatives "as soon as possible after the weekend celebrations".
Last night, Mr Kelly recalled that the Taoiseach, in his apology to victims in May 1999, commented that the victims had been failed by the people of Ireland "in your hour of need". By now, people were well aware of what had gone on, Mr Kelly said. He asked therefore that people now "challenge the Cardinal" to make sure something of substance emerged from his meeting with them. He had had meetings with bishops already but, apart from "words and promises", victims had got "nothing", he said.
He also said there was a necessity for a wider inquiry into clerical child sex abuse than that into the situation in Ferns. And he warned the victims there to be careful, as Irish SOCA had been offered "a Rolls-Royce inquiry which turned out to be a getaway car".
He was referring to the Laffoy Commission, he said, which had "no public sittings, allowed for no prosecutions or jail sentences, no accountability, and half of the victims will be dead before its report is published".