Two complaints of assaults by Cork priests in 1980s were reported to Gardaí this year, writes Southern Correspondent,
BARRY ROCHE
GARDAÍ IN Co Cork have sent a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) following an investigation into complaints of clerical sexual abuse against two priests in the Diocese of Cloyne more than 20 years ago.
Two women in their 40s came forward independently this year and complained that they were sexually assaulted by two priests in the diocese in the late 1980s when they were both aged 17.
One woman alleged she was sexually assaulted by both priests while visiting the parochial house that the two men shared; the second woman alleged she was assaulted by one of the priests while visiting the same house.
The complaint made by one woman against one of the priests – who is now in his 70s and retired – brings to six the number of complaints that have been made against him by six different women over the last four years.
The first five of these complaints were investigated by gardaí and five separate files were prepared and sent to the DPP. However, in all five cases the DPP directed that there should be no prosecution.
The priest, who had attended voluntarily at a Garda station in Co Cork for interview in relation to some of the earlier complaints, again attended at the station voluntarily last month and was questioned about the most recent complaints.
The second priest, who is in his 50s, had not been the subject of complaints previously, and he stood down from pastoral duties this year when he learned that allegations of sexual assault had been made against him.
This priest also attended voluntarily at the same Garda station last month for interview by detectives, who questioned him about the complaints of sexual assault against him by the two women.
The Diocese of Cloyne issued a statement at the time he stood down saying he had agreed to go on administrative leave.
The diocese stressed in its statement that its focus was on child protection, and the complaint was being dealt with "in accordance with the standards and guidance document Safeguarding Childrenof the National Board for Safeguarding Children".
Last December, the chief executive of the National Board for Safeguarding Children, Ian Elliott, criticised child-protection practices in the Diocese of Cloyne as inadequate and dangerous in that they potentially exposed vulnerable children to further harm.
Mr Elliott said meetings held by the diocesan authorities to examine allegations of sexual abuse by five people against two priests in the diocese in 2004 and 2005 appeared to be more “focused on the needs of the accused priest” than addressing the needs of the children.
Mr Elliott’s criticism was based on an examination of how the diocese handled complaints of sexual abuse made against two priests whom he identified as Fr A, who was accused of abusing a young boy; and Fr B, who was separately accused of abusing three young girls.