John Whelan (Labour)

I deplore the contents of the Cloyne report and do not know how anyone could do otherwise. We should stop playing with semantics and call a spade a spade. Child abuse is a heinous and horrendous crime against vulnerable children. The Cloyne report is not the first of its kind and will not be the last. There have been the Murphy, Ryan and Ferns reports. Unfortunately, a litany of further reports are awaited.

More unfortunately, the cover-up continues and those involved have not learned any lessons. If this were drug dealing, for example, it would be regarded as organised crime, such is the manner in which the prevention of investigations and holding culprits to account was orchestrated. Who needs guidelines to tell them child abuse is wrong? Does anyone know the whereabouts of Bishop John Magee? Are the Garda authorities looking to question him to see how he could help in their investigations of matters arising from the Cloyne report? If we want the full truth, we must have the co-operation of those who can assist us in getting it. Bishop Magee is either a fugitive or a missing person and it would be helpful if he, other bishops, the Papal Nuncio or anyone else how knows his whereabouts could make themselves available to the authorities. It is bizarre that he disappeared off the face of the earth only a fortnight before the report was published. It is all very well to cry crocodile tears and apologise but expressions of profound regret do not hold much water when the cover up of child abuse continues.