Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Foreign Affairs

Diplomatic Representation

9:00 pm

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 661: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of his meeting with a person (details supplied) regarding the failure to provide documentation to the Commission of Investigation into Clerical Sexual Abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese; if he has receive an explanation for the reason the person did not find some channel through which these documents would be made available to the commission; and if he will take further action on the matter. [48368/09]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As I stated in my reply to priority questions no. 29 and no. 30 on 15 December last, the Papal Nuncio, H.E. Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, called to Iveagh House at my request on Tuesday 8 December to discuss the report of the Dublin Archdiocese Commission of Investigation and the issue of the cooperation received by the Commission from the Holy See and successive Papal Nuncios as it carried out its investigations. At the meeting, I conveyed to the Papal Nuncio the deep anger and outrage of the Irish public at the appalling abuse of children detailed in the Commission's report. I emphasised to Archbishop Leanza the importance of the Vatican providing a substantive response to inquiries from the Commission. I stressed to the Nuncio the Government's expectation that the Holy See would provide the fullest possible cooperation with any ongoing or further State investigations into clerical child abuse, including in the context of the upcoming inquiry by the Commission into the Diocese of Cloyne.

The Nuncio undertook to convey my strong view that the Vatican should cooperate with any request for information from the Dublin and Cloyne Commission or any future commission. He stressed that there had been no intention on the part of the Holy See to withhold cooperation from the Commission and that it had made known to the Commission, through the Government, its expectation that such enquiries would be pursued through the appropriate diplomatic channels.

My Department remains available to provide any assistance requested by the Commission in support of its investigations.

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