Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Question 28: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to the Taoiseach's speech on 20 July 2011 following the publication of the Cloyne report, if he has been notified of any intention of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, to make a pastoral or Head of State visit to Ireland in the coming 12 months; if he will consider inviting the Holy Father with a view to addressing the outstanding issues in relation to the issues raised in the Taoiseach's speech on that day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28193/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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There is no outstanding invitation to Pope Benedict XVI to visit Ireland, nor have the Government been made aware of any desire on the part of the Pope to visit Ireland in the coming twelve months. I am sure, however, that should the Government be made aware of the Pope's interest in coming to Ireland at any time, an official invitation would be forthcoming. As to the other matters raised in the question, I would refer the Deputy to the Statement of 8 September by the Government of Ireland on the response of the Holy See regarding the report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne, which states:

"The Government of Ireland thanks the Holy See for its response of 3 September regarding the report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne (the Cloyne Report) and the representations made to it by the Tánaiste in this regard in his meeting with the Apostolic Nuncio on 14 July 2011.

The Government acknowledges and welcomes the statement in the response that the Holy See is sorry and ashamed for the terrible sufferings which the victims of abuse and their families have endured. The victims of abuse and their families must remain foremost in our considerations.

Having considered carefully the Cloyne Report and the response of the Holy See, the Government of Ireland remains of the view that the content of the confidential letter in 1997 from the then Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Storero, to the Irish Bishops, regardless of whether or not it was intended to do so, provided a pretext for some members of the clergy to evade full cooperation with the Irish civil authorities in regard to the abuse of minors. This is a matter of great concern to the Irish Government.

The Government of Ireland notes the comments in the Holy See's response on the political debate which ensued in Ireland after the publication of the Cloyne Report and in particular the statements made by the Taoiseach and other political leaders. The Government of Ireland must point out that the comments made by the Taoiseach and other political leaders accurately reflect the public anger of the overwhelming majority of Irish people at the failure of the Catholic Church in Ireland and the Holy See to deal adequately with clerical child sexual abuse and those who committed such appalling acts.

It is the Government of Ireland's hope that, in spite of outstanding differences, lessons have been learned from appalling past failures. In this regard, it welcomes the commitment in the concluding remarks of the Holy See's response to a constructive dialogue and cooperation with the Government. In welcoming this commitment, the Government expects the fullest cooperation from the Holy See, the Catholic Church in Ireland and all other relevant bodies with a view to ensuing that Ireland is a society fully safe for children and minors and that all of those with responsibility for the welfare and care of children in this country are fully subject to Irish laws and requirements."

In this context, I look forward to an early exchange of Ambassadors between Ireland and the Holy See and to our close cooperation in dealing with the scourge of child sexual abuse.