Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I wish to share my time with Deputies Finian McGrath and Cuffe. We will not oppose this motion to approve the order establishing a commission of investigation into the handling of allegations of child sexual abuse against members of the clergy operating under the aegis of the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin. People have been appalled by the revelations in the Ferns Report. The most damning aspect of the report was the failure of those in authority in the church and the State, including the Garda Síochána, to act to protect children who were being repeatedly and systematically abused.

With this order the Government intends to establish a commission of investigation into the archdiocese of Dublin. When the Ferns Report was issued, the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, stated that the commission would investigate any Catholic diocese in the State following a notification from his office that the diocese in question may not be implementing church guidelines regarding child sexual abuse by a priest or a religious or may not be implementing the recommendations of the Ferns Report satisfactorily.

This area should be revisited. A commitment to an investigation into the archdiocese of Dublin has been given and should proceed but why should similar investigations into every Catholic diocese in the country not be held? Abuse could have occurred and been covered up in every diocese in the country. Why should investigations be limited to Catholic dioceses? What about investigations into other churches and institutions which deal and have dealt with children?

See this speech in context