Ireland's Catholic bishops have estimated that it may cost as much as €50 million to cover the cost of compensation and help for victims of clerical child sex abuse in parishes over the next decade.
In an article published in the diocesan newspaper the Kilmore Herald on March 17th, the Bishop of Kilmore, Dr Leo O'Reilly, said this estimate was presented at a meeting of the Irish Episcopal Conference in May 2004, where proposals were invited as to how the money might be raised.
He said the annual Kilmore contribution to the Stewardship Trust, which was set up by the bishops in 1996 to cover compensation and allied costs for clerical child sex abuse in all 26 dioceses in Ireland prior to 1996, would be around €66,000.
He proposed this be raised through rental income on diocesan property, contributions from himself and the priests, and income from investments.
In a statement yesterday, the Bishop of Kerry, Dr Bill Murphy, said his diocese had contributed €158,128 to the trust in 2004. This was not paid from collections taken up in parishes each weekend, or from the annual diocesan administration levy.
He said the Kerry diocesan finance council, made up of priests and lay people,"continues to be informed of all financial matters relating to the diocese, and the contributions which are being made to the Stewardship Trust".
Dr Christopher Jones, of Elphin diocese, said it contributed € 83,452 to the trust in 2004.
Over a year ago he had asked the finance sub-committee of the Council of Priests "to consider how we should finance this Stewardship Trust".
It proposed that the contribution to the fund be financed from money donated specifically for the support of the clergy. Priests would send their contributions to a sub-committee of the Council of Priests to defray the costs of the Stewardship fund.
"It really means that money already given for the support of the clergy is by the agreement of the clergy ceded to meet the costs of child protection, counselling and compensation needs."
A brief statement from the diocese of Raphoe yesterday said it does not have a levy system on collections at Masses to pay its contribution to the trust.
It said that "every diocese in the country, including Raphoe, has to pay their contribution to the Stewardship fund. The figure depends on the number of Catholics living in the diocese.
"At present in Raphoe this money is taken from a few bequests which have been given to the bishop to use at his discretion, and from interest accumulated during the years. None of this money has come from parish collections."
A spokesman for the diocese of Waterford and Lismore said they had contributed €166,000 to the trust in 2004 through money "made available from existing diocesan assets and voluntary contributions from clergy".