The report from the Ferns inquiry, which is investigating the handling of clerical child sex abuse allegations in Ferns diocese, will not now be presented to the Minister for Health, Ms Harney, before March.
A spokesman for the inquiry said last night this was due to difficulties locating witnesses to confirm their evidence and to some further investigations being conducted. It was expected the report would be submitted to Ms Harney before Christmas.
Ferns diocese confirmed yesterday that two priests there, previously convicted of child sexual abuse, have been dismissed from the clerical state. In 1990 James Doyle, former president of St Peter's College, Wexford, was convicted of indecent assault on a teenage boy and given a suspended sentence of one year.
In 1998 Donal Collins was given a four-year sentence, with three years suspended, for indecent assault.
Two priests from the Dublin archdiocese were also dismissed following their conviction on child sex abuse charges, during Cardinal Connell's tenure as archbishop. One was dismissed in the late 1980s, following an internal diocesan investigation, and the second in 1996, following direct intervention with Rome by the cardinal. The 1996 case followed a partially successful appeal by then Fr Tony Walsh against the finding of an investigation that he should be dismissed.
In 1995, during the appeals process, he assaulted an 11-year-old boy and was subsequently sentenced to six years. The case prompted Cardinal Connell to go directly to Rome seeking dismissal, following Walsh's partially successful appeal.
Three other priests in the Dublin archdiocese voluntarily sought laicisation in similar circumstances, while a further two others are going through the process currently. Altogether, seven priests in the archdiocese have been convicted on child sex abuse charges.
It has emerged that in Ireland's 26 Catholic dioceses, a total of 25 diocesan priests have been convicted on child sex abuse charges. A spokesman at the Catholic Communications Office was unable to say how many of them had been dismissed or had voluntarily left the priesthood. Nor could he say whether dismissal was being sought in any case. The secretary general of CORI, Fr Martin Drennan, said such figures where member congregations were concerned was a matter for the congregations.
However, the provincial of the Dominican Order, Fr Pat Lucey, said yesterday that no such moves for dismissal or voluntary laicisation had been sought where Fr Vincent Mercer was concerned. Fr Mercer was sentenced to six months' imprisonment at Naas District Court in March of last year. He pleaded guilty to four counts of indecent assault in 1977 on a 13-year-old boy at Newbridge College, Co Kildare, where he was then president. He was remanded at Naas court yesterday on further charges.
Vatican commentators estimate that over the last two years some 750 cases involving US priests alone have been submitted to the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith, with more than 500 of them having already been ruled on. In some cases, priests have been defrocked, in others they have been severely sanctioned.
When a local investigation is completed, the case may then be sent on to Rome, as in the case of the two former Ferns priests, with a recommendation from the local bishop.