Killaloe diocese makes biggest yearly payout to victims of clerical sex abuse

THE DIOCESE of Killaloe made its largest ever annual payout to victims of clerical sex abuse last year, accounts published yesterday reveal.

The diocesan accounts for 2007 confirmed that the diocese paid €619,717 to victims, bringing to over €1.49 million that which has been paid to sex abuse victims since 2003.

In a statement accompanying the accounts, the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, said: “The ongoing fallout from the tragedy of sexual abuse by a small number of clergy in the distant past continues to demand time and resources for healing and reconciliation. €619,717 has been paid in 2007 for this purpose.”

The accounts show that the diocese funded the payout from the €1.5 million sale of six acres of land at Dr Walsh’s Westbourne residence in Ennis in 2001.

A spokesman for the diocese said yesterday that additional payments have been made to victims of clerical sex abuse in 2008, but they have not been fully calculated. The payments are expected to be less than the payout in 2007.

He said the €1.5 million received from the sale of the six acres has been ring-fenced to deal with the fallout of clerical sex abuse in the diocese.

The spokesman said money from the funds was depleting, but there was adequate funding to meet present needs.

He said that prior to 2007, part-funding to deal with the fallout of clerical sex abuse was received from the Stewardship Trust, a national church fund, but this fund was no longer operating.

The 2007 payout is three times the amount paid out in 2006.

The diocese paid out €191,401 in 2006.

Payments of €285,000, €130,000 and €265,000 to victims of sex abuse were made by the diocese in 2005, 20004 and 2003. The accounts for 2007 show that the diocese secured a net surplus of €165,517. The diocese’s income increased last year by 24 per cent to €1.043 million.

The accounts show that the diocese helped to increase its income from its investments in 2007 by 50 per cent, increasing from €290,000 to €437,000.

However, warning of the effects of the economic downturn and the impact it will have on the diocese’s dividend income next year, Dr Walsh said: “The recent months of turmoil in financial markets will significantly reduce this particular income stream for 2009.

“The diocese will, therefore, have to depend more heavily on the income from parishes to meet its commitments in this climate.”