CHILD protection measures need to be radically overhauled in light of the findings of the Ferns Report, support groups claimed yesterday.

The Ferns Inquiry Report is another damning indictment of how Irish society has failed to protect children, a leading children’s charity said tonight.

Some 21 Catholic priests savagely sexually assaulted young boys and girls in parishes across Co Wexford in Ireland during the past 40 years, a scathing report into clerical abuse revealed today.

The report on alleged child sex abuse in the Diocese of Ferns will be presented to the Cabinet later today by Minister Brian Lenihan.

The Attorney General, Rory Brady, has received the report of the inquiry into clerical sex abuse in the Diocese of Ferns in the south-east region.

HEALTH Minister Micheál Martin will have the power to compel witnesses to give sworn testimony at an inquiry into clerical sexual abuse in the Diocese of Ferns.

SERIOUS mistakes were made and the Church got its own teachings wrong when dealing with allegations of clerical sexual abuse, Dr Eamonn Walsh has claimed.

The Cabinet is expected to approve the establishment of a full statutory inquiry to investigate clerical sexual abuse today.

Victims of clerical sex abuse are holding talks today with two Cabinet Ministers.

The Vatican will make a statement later this morning on the Inquiry into clerical child abuse in the Diocese of Ferns.

The Vatican has confirmed it is to issue a statement on the setting up of the inquiry into the handling of sexual abuses cases in the Diocese of Ferns.