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Updated 3.22pm
ARCHBISHOP DIARMUID MARTIN has said he is ‘seriously concerned’ by the latest reports into how the Catholic Church in Ireland has safeguarded children.
Archbishop Martin, who is the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, said it was “appalling” to read about the delays by some major religious congregations in implementing guidelines to look after children.
He made the comments as the Franciscan friars apologised to survivors who were abused while under their care.
In a statement, released today with a report into their current safeguarding policies, the Order said it regretted the “significant missed opportunities” to protect children from abusive behaviour.
Provincial Hugh McKenna said he apologises “unreservedly to each and every survivor for the pain and harm inflicted on those who suffered abuse while under our care”.
“I apologise for the breach of trust, and the suffering victims and their families endured,” he continued.
I also know that no apology can ever be sufficient, and acknowledge with deep shame and sadness that the Franciscan Order failed you.
The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland released its review report into the order today. The Order admitted that it described the “stark reality of abuse perpetrated by members of the Irish Franciscans over a 45-year period from 1953 to 1998″.
“It relates that three friars were convicted by the courts during this period, and also highlights failure on the part of the Franciscan Order to deal adequately with complaints brought to their attention at that time.”
Since 1975, 28 priests and brothers have had 109 allegations made against them. Of those, 78 were reported to gardaí or the PSNI. The HSE and Health Boards were made aware of 60 of them.
Of the 28 priests and brothers, just eight are still alive and members of the congregation.
The report said that the three convicted friars were “prolific abusers”.
Jailed
“Friar A, carried out most of his sexual abuse of children while he was living on site at a second-level college. According to records viewed by the reviewers he resided on site from 1963 to 1993 and the earliest recorded allegation of abuse related to the school in 1968 and the latest in 1989,” the report states.
Complaints were made to fellow friars by pupils and their families in respect of alleged abusive behaviour to pupils and local altar boys in 1973, 1978, 1988 and 1989.
Reviewers said “it is a cause for concern that the school records do not apparently have on file any of these allegations”.
He was removed from duties in the 1980s but remained on site until 1993. In 1998, he was out of ministry and began receiving therapy. However, supervision arrangements were not in place until 2002 and he was not subject to a formal risk assessment until 2006.
He was sentenced to five years in prison in 2007, with half the sentence suspended. He was released in 2009 and now lives under a strict supervisory regime.
Another friar, who was not convicted but admitted to inappropriate sexual activity with a child, is being allowed to return to a limited form of supervised ministry.
He has attended a treatment programme but was removed from ministry for a second time in 2009 following a NBSCCCI recommendation.
Since that time, he has been subject to two independent risk assessments — neither of which supported the friar remaining out of ministry.
One assessment was of the view that he had a very low risk of reoffending and the most recent, in 2013, stated that the possibility of him reoffending was minimal.
In 2014, an agreement could see him take up a limited form of supervised ministry where there is no public access and no direct contact with children.
On the advice of the NBSCCCI, further checks will be carried out with the civil authorities before any return to limited ministry is confirmed.
The Franciscans said they were encouraged that the report noted a change in safeguarding practice from 2009 onwards.
Augustinians
The NBSCCCI also released reports into 15 other orders – both male and female.
Between 1975 and 2015, complaints were made against 11 friars in the Augustinian order with 17 allegations reported to gardaí or the PSNI. The HSE (or appropriate health boards) were made aware of 12 allegations. Of the 11 friars, seven are still alive. One is still in ministry, while three are ‘out of ministry’ but still members of the congregation. Three others are retired. None were convicted and none left the congregation.
Carmelite Friars
Eleven allegations were made against the Discalced Carmelite Friars since the beginning of 1975.
Eight had been reported to the gardaí and six to the HSE or other agencies. Two of the friars are still in the order, four are deceased, one is in private ministry and one is in public ministry.
Two of the allegations were not reported for a number of years.
Passionist Priests
Over 40 allegations were made against members of the Passionist Priests order, but none were substantiated after all but two were passed to the authorities. Most relate to the the 1950s.
The two that were not reported had incomplete information from accusers.
Sixteen of the 20 men accused are dead, two are out of the ministry, one is still in ministry and one has left the congregation.
The Passionists say that they apologise for the pain of those who experienced abuse at the hands of their members. They say that they are striving to ensure that past failings are not repeated.
Sacred Hearts of Mary and Jesus (SSCC)
The SSCC saw five allegations made against three priests since 1975, but no convictions have come.
Just one of those accused is still alive. The order has no direct ministry with children.
Additional reporting by Paul Hosford and Christine Bohan
Still better than half the dumps on daft in Dublin city.
At about the same price and all.
Did ya give her a good wash ?
1500 a month is not bad when you include WiFi, Cable tv and a cleaner/butler. Gym included. This is what our city’s need. They look pretty cool IMO
Swankier and bigger than my first bedsit! lol
I like the way a cleaner comes in once a week as standard.
Was expecting worse, can only imagine what they’ll be like in 20years time
Could do with these in dublin 500 would be snapped up in hours..
Well its official the future will in fact be like The 5th Element…
Exactly what came to mind, haha.
I’d take it if it comes with a Lelu in the shower…
So rich people’s homes are getting bigger and the ordinary everyday person’s home gets smaller and smaller and some people are OK with that? The problem is not with people building them, it’s with people buying them. I hope that if anything like this gets built in Dublin that people don’t buy them. They only serve to maximise profits for the developer and nothing else.
Currently living in NYC and paying $1000 to live with 4 other people in an apartment with no living room and a shared bathroom. I’d 100% be up for living in one of these.
Adly needed in dublin they would be snapped up in hours… look nice for a micro apartment
roof over the head. all the essentials, heat, water, toilet, kitchen, electriciy etc what more do you u need. id be happy out living there. close to work/college etc. this is the way its going to have to go. 7 billion people on this planet and increasing. 5th element is imminent :-)
Great idea, with all that space down by the Dublin docklands these would be ideal for students and those entering the workforce, they would hold there value and always be in demand…
A much better use of space that what you have in the surrounding areas of the city centre, large houses with front and back gardens, usually only 1 elderly person living in them in a lot of the most expensive houses..
You could go a little stir crazy if you did much more than sleep in such a micro apartment.
That’s a burglar in pic 1.
A single’s pad for someone with very little possessions, very few books, no need to entertain visitors and able to manage lean living.
Could be OK if you were just to use it as second residence for the working week or something though?
Jenga with caravans.
Kitchen ‘slash’ bathroom
Bigger than some apts in Seoul
What does Alan Kelly think of these spacious accommodations? That’s the lad to chop off a few metres.
Minister Kelly was genuinely dismissive of these rabbit hutches.
He said that he could do smaller by taking plans of prison cells in Mountjoy and doing a variation on these. He is considering contracting this out to DO B
Minister Kelly explained that the more separate households the more households to pay water charges.
“large windows that slide open on to a false balcony” – sounds dangerous- open door on to what I think is a balcony and put my foot out into open air and fall 10 storeys?
If you were on your own you wouldn’t want anything bigger. It’s only birds that want gaffs so big there’s rooms you don’t even go in to and you spend half of one of your days the weekend cleaning the kip
I have a bigger caravan
In New York?
Yes I pulled in there on top of the trump tower last week. I be selling a few gate tomorrow if your interested sir
1500 is a great price for NYC
Nice.
It’s in Kips Bay :)
City living for singles or first time renters of the future
Now try bringing this concept to Ireland, and everyone loses their minds…
First dates would be most efficient. From popcorn and soda, to making bacon at the switch of a button…
I need to go the toilet
have your say