Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)

I welcome that the commission is being established. There are real issues with the very long delay in getting here. There are issues with the timeframe proposed, which is another delay. There are very serious issues with redress and, as I read through it, there are issues with how survivors' testimonies are to be treated. If I get time, I will come back to all that.

I pay tribute to all the survivors. I have met survivors of Creagh Lane school in Limerick a number of times. The abuse they suffered is obviously horrendous and it has had a devastating impact on their lives. They recently came into the possession of church documents that reveal exactly what was going on in the church, the knowledge that those at the top of the church had and the fact that they did nothing apart from move around some teachers and priests who they knew were abusers.

The first letter is from a paedophile Christian Brother to his superiors in the Catholic hierarchy. Dated 24 February 1970, it is from Brother John Kevin Drummond and addressed to Brother Loftus, head of the Christian Brothers' training college. Brother Drummond says it is with deep regret that he sends Brother Loftus the application for a dispensation of his temporary vows. He says he has interfered sexually with some of his pupils and he cannot in conscience allow himself to remain in the congregation, much less go back to the classroom knowing the same thing could happen again. Brother Drummond asks Brother Loftus to accept his sincerest apologies for the harm he has done to the congregation and pray for him that he may make up in some way the harm he has done for those boys. Brother Drummond says he would be very grateful if Brother Loftus would send on the dispensation as soon as possible as he is only a nuisance and embarrassment to the brothers at the moment. He says he has been changed from Limerick where it happened to the Christian Brothers in James's Street, Dublin 8.

Then there is a letter to the vicar general enclosing Brother Drummond's confession. It states:

I have a little more trouble for you. We are getting more than our share of it these days. Our council voted unanimously that he should be dispensed and let go and we would be grateful if you do the needful in the matter as soon as convenient. Of course there is no immediate hurry. If there were, I suppose we could give him leave of absence in anticipation of the dispensation coming.

The third document is one signed by the vicar general. It states:

Acting in accordance with the faculties granted by decree of the Sacred Congregation of Religious and in response to the request of Brother John Kevin Drummond of St. Helen's Province, Ireland, the Governor General, being away from Rome, the Vicar General, with the affirmative vote of the General Council, now declares that Brother John Kevin Drummond is freed from the obligations of his vows.

Brother Drummond is therefore released from his vows, but it is never reported to the Garda. The church later denied any knowledge of what had happened and it concealed the evidence it knew about it for years. The Catholic Church knew all about paedophile priests and brothers. It was and is complicit in the endemic rape and sexual abuse of children. It knew about it but prioritised protecting the reputation and wealth of the church over the needs of the children in its care. The truth is that the State, in thrall to the church, did exactly the same.

Very quickly on the issues, there needs to be redress. Redress cannot be kicked further down the road. The State needs to pay redress now and then pursue the church and religious orders in a full way, including seizing assets, in order to compensate for that. The survivors must receive redress immediately. There cannot be any more delays.

I am concerned with how the terms of reference for the commission refer to the evidence. They state the commission "shall exercise its discretion in relation to the extent of the evidence that it considers ...". They continue:

The Commission may make such findings and further recommendations arising out of its investigation relating to the handling of ... child sexual abuse, and child protection ... In its recommendations, the Commission may also have regard to the work of the Survivor Engagement Programme.

I am concerned about the separation of the survivor testimony, which needs to be core to the work of the commission.

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