Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps he will take arising from the Report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46158/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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When I received the report last July, I immediately sent it to the Garda Commissioner and the Director of Public Prosecutions. Since then, I have discussed the matter at length with the Commissioner. A number of the perpetrators discussed in the report have already been brought to justice, proceedings are pending against others and a number of investigations are ongoing. The Garda Commissioner has assured me that pursuing the perpetrators, whenever the abuse occurred, is an absolute priority for An Garda Síochána.

Assistant Commissioner John O'Mahoney has been appointed to examine the report's findings relating to the handling of complaints and investigations by both Church and State authorities, to carry out such investigations and inquiries as he deems appropriate and to make a report to him with his recommendations. The Commissioner will then consult with the Director of Public Prosecutions as to what issues arise in the context of criminal liability.

The report's findings are positive with regard to the current Garda arrangements for dealing with such allegations. Nevertheless, after consulting with the Garda Commissioner, I have asked the Garda Inspectorate to review the Garda handling of allegations of child sexual abuse.

The Government earlier this year requested the Commission of Investigation to extend its work to deal with the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne because of concerns which had arisen in relation to that Diocese. I believe that the work of the Commission in relation to the Archdiocese of Dublin and its forthcoming report on the Diocese of Cloyne will serve the primary purpose of establishing how child sexual abuse cases were dealt with by the Church and State authorities so that lessons can be learned and remedies introduced.

The audit currently being carried out by the Health Service Executive to ensure that it is fully aware of all cases of clerical child sex abuse known to the Church will also help to establish how child sexual abuse cases were dealt with by the Church. Work is well under way on preparing legislation to provide a statutory framework for the sharing of soft information. The Office of my colleague the Minister of State for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Barry Andrews, is preparing Heads of a Bill in consultation with my Department, An Garda Síochána and the HSE. The findings of the Commission's report about collection and sharing of information will be taken fully into account in the process which will be completed in the very near future.