KILLALOE DIOCESE HAS been praised for its “great effort” to minimise risks to children.
The praise came in the latest report from the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI) in its fifth tranche of reviews on child safeguarding in a number of dioceses.
The review covers the Arch Diocese of Dublin, the Diocese of Meath, Cloyne and Killaloe. It also reviews the religious congregations of the Presentation Brothers, the Patrician Brothers, Benedictine, Glenstal and the Missionary Societies of the Columban Missionaries and the Society of Divine Word.
The report into Killaloe found that 44 out of 48 criteria have been fully met. The remaining four were partially met at the time of the audit.
The report states:
Of particular note in the Diocese of Killaloe is the response made to complainants who have come forward to share their allegations of clerical abuse. The records demonstrate very clearly that they have been met with great compassion and support… All personnel are commended for their response to victims.
Risks to children
The document includes the committee’s findings and its recommendations. Its first recommendation was amending the revised diocesan safeguarding document to include how those who present a risk to children are managed.
On management of allegations, Kilalloe fully met all criteria, such as “there is a process for recording incidents, allegations and suspicions and referrals”.
The committee found that 19 allegations had been received within the Diocese of Killaloe against priests, from 1 January 1975 to the time of the review. There were 59 complaints made directly to the diocese and a further six brought to the attention of the diocese by gardaí or the HSE.
Six of the 19 priest are still alive and members of the diocese, two are in ministry, one is retired and three remain out of ministry.
Of the six diocesan priests against whom there are allegations, two are in ministry.
Having read the files in relation to these two priests, the reviewers support the assessments made by the diocese, that neither reached the threshold of a credible allegation; both cases were reported to the civil authorities
The NBSCCI said that good victim support work was evidenced in all cases. It also said that a number of the priests were sent for assessment, “and unfortunately bad advice was given to the then bishop about returning priests to ministry on the back of poor quality assessments”.
Overall the cases of these four men have been well handled by the diocese. This could be improved further by written safety/management plans.
Since the ordination of the current Bishop, Kieran O Reilly, the diocese has received one allegation of abuse relating to a priest already out of ministry.
There has also been a concern about boundary violations in relation to a priest who is in ministry, which was reported to An Garda Síochána, HSE and NBSCCCI. All agencies felt that this concern did not reach the threshold of abuse.
“There has been prompt reporting and good interagency work in both these cases,” said the review.
The diocese has been holding interagency meetings with An Garda Síochána and HSE for the past two years. Prior to that Bishop Walsh met the civil agencies separately.
The second recommendation was that the director of safeguarding must ensure that all risk management plans are confirmed in writing and shared with the respondent priest.
Preventing harm to children
On the standard ‘preventing harm to children’, Killaloe was found to fully meet all criteria of safe recruitment and vetting, and four of the ‘codes of behaviour’ criteria. It partially met two of the latter critera.
On operating safe activities for children, it fully met all criteria.
The third recommendation was that the Safeguarding Committee ensures that the whistle blowing statement is finalised and inserted into the diocesan policy and procedures document.
Recommendation four was that the Safeguarding Committee ensure that guidelines on the personal/ intimate care of children with disabilities, including appropriate and inappropriate touch, is included in the revised policy and procedures document.
Great effort
The reviewers agreed that “great effort” has been made by these volunteers under the direction of Bishop Walsh, Bishop O’Reilly and their safeguarding staff “to minimise risks to children and to create a culture which welcomes children into the Church and cares for them in line with the gospel values and safeguarding principles”.
They were also impressed by the safeguards that had been put in place for the Lourdes pilgrimages.
The diocese fully met all training and education criteria and communicating the church’s safeguarding message standard criteria. It also fully met the criteria for standard six, access to advice and support, and standard seven, implementing and monitoring standards.
Concluded the review:
In addition from the records and discussions with the safeguarding personnel, there was evidence of a sincere interest in offering support and healing to those affected by abuse.
Bishop’s response
Bishop Kieran O’Reilly said he welcomed the review, and that the diocese accepts all four recommendations.
The thanked the members of the National Board for their help and continued support.
Our first thoughts today are with the victims/survivors of abuse. Abuse of children is reprehensible and there are no words that can adequately express the depth of pain endured by people who have been sexually abused.
He also noted the work of the Diocesan Child Safeguarding office, and the support of An Garda Síochána and the HSE.
The diocese of Killaloe extends our heartfelt apologies to all those who suffered abuse at the hands of a small number of priests of Killaloe. I would like to assure parents and children that the diocese is committed to ensuring that best practices are in place and operational at all times to safeguard children and to listen to their voices.
Bishop O’Reilly added that “care, vigilance and monitoring are our approach to all aspects of child safeguarding”.
Towards Healing Telephone Helpline have extended opening hours are: 8pm to 1am both today and tomorrow and can be contacted on Freephone 1800 303416 (Rep. of Ireland) Freephone 0800 0963315 (Northern Ireland and UK)
National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland
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