merrion street

Children & Youth Affairs Minister Frances Fitzgerald today welcomed the publication of the HSE diocesan audit report. The report is available on the HSE website (www.hse.ie) and on the website of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (

).

The audit report represents part 1 of a planned two stage review, and covers child safeguarding arrangements in twenty-four Catholic dioceses. The second stage involves a separate review, currently under way, of safeguarding practice in respect of approximately 150 Congregations/Religious Orders.

The Minister acknowledged that the Audit highlights recent improvements, but she said the “focus must remain on addressing the need for ongoing improvements; in particular in those Dioceses identified by the audit as requiring further work.”

The Minister stated that she “remains concerned by some aspects of the report’s findings”.

In particular, the report identifies difficulties in categorising allegations with accuracy in terms of the time taken to report the allegations to the civil authorities. This applies particularly to allegations that were retrospective in nature.

The Minister added:

I wish to commend those in roles of leadership in the Church for their determination in guiding improvements I also wish to commend all those members of the laity, in voluntary positions in parishes right across the State for their efforts to ensure that best practice in child protection is adhered to.

...while progress is welcome, ensuring implementation of best practice must remain an ongoing and continuing priority.

Arising out of publication the Minister is mindful that individuals may come forward to recount painful episodes in their own lives involving members of the clergy. In this context she encourages anybody affected by past abuse to come forward in confidence and to report this abuse to the civil authorities.