The Irish Times - Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Judgment reserved on what parts of child sex abuse report can be disclosed

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PATSY McGARRY Religious Affairs Correspondent

JUDGMENT HAS been reserved by the High Court until December 8th on what content of the Dublin Archdiocese Commission of Investigation report may be published at this time.

The court has to decide what parts of the report may have to be redacted so as not to prejudice the outcome of forthcoming criminal trials involving men who, as priests, are accused of sexually abusing children.

It was expected that submissions on the matter would be presented on behalf of Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General at the in-camera hearing of the High Court on Thursday and Friday last.

Chaired by Ms Justice Yvonne Murphy, the Dublin commission investigated how clerical child sex-abuse allegations involving a sample of 46 priests were handled by Catholic Church authorities in Dublin between January 1st, 1975, and April 30th, 2004.

However, three of the cases which were investigated concern men currently on child-abuse charges, the first of whom will not face trial until April of next year.

Under section 38 of the the Commission of Investigation Act 2004, the Minister for Justice must seek directions from the High Court if the publication of a commission report might prejudice any criminal proceedings, pending or in progress.

The Minister received the report last July and referred it to the Attorney General, who advised that it be referred to the High Court.

The Minister said at the time that he was anxious the matters it dealt with were “put into the public domain as quickly as possible”, but he was also concerned that nothing should be done that would harm the prospects of the perpetrators of abuse being brought “to the justice they deserve”.

It is believed the Dublin commission has inquired into how four archbishops and 15 bishops addressed clerical child sex abuse allegations in the archdiocese.

The archbishops are Dr John Charles McQuaid, Dr Dermot Ryan, Dr Kevin McNamara and Cardinal Desmond Connell.

Thirteen of the 15 bishops concerned had been auxiliary bishops in the Dublin archdiocese over the period and include Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin Dr Jim Moriarty, Bishop of Limerick Dr Donal Murray and Bishop of Galway, Dr Martin Drennan.

Also included are current Dublin auxiliary bishops Eamonn Walsh and Ray Field.