Diocese hit by fresh abuse allegations

FRESH complaints of child sex abuse have emerged against a now deceased Catholic priest of the Diocese of Ferns.

The allegations centre on a priest who served in the rural Ballindaggin parish near Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, which covers the three churches of Ballindaggin, Kiltealy and Caim.

At Masses in each of the three churches last Sunday, the apostolic administrator of Ferns Bishop Eamonn Walsh acknowledged the complaints which he stressed had yet to be fully investigated.

Bishop Walsh said files relating to the matter had been handed over the Bermingham Inquiry which carried out a preliminary assessment of the scale of abuse in the diocese last year.

He said the same material would also be made available to the Murphy Inquiry set up two weeks ago as a result of the Bermingham Inquiry to examine the response of the Church and public authorities to complaints made within the diocese.

Bishop Walsh told the congregations in each church that he personally, and specially designated representatives within the diocese, were available to meet with victims of abuse involving past or present priests of the diocese.

The name of the priest at the centre of the fresh allegations is known to the Irish Examiner but he is not being named while investigations remain inconclusive. The priest ceased serving in Co Wexford more than 10 years ago.

Bishop Walsh has already publicly apologised to victims of paedophile priests Sean Fortune who committed suicide while awaiting sentencing on a series of child sex assaults and Jim Grennan, whose assaults on children were verified by health authorities but he never faced criminal proceedings.

Bishop Walsh also suspended two serving priests of the diocese last year pending inquiries into allegations that they abused local children and has been conducting a church by church visit of the parishes of the diocese affected by abuser priests.

Bishop Walsh took over responsibility for the diocese one year ago following the resignation of Bishop Brendan Comiskey amidst renewed controversies over his handling of child sex allegations revisited in the BBC documentary Suing The Pope.

The subject of the documentary, victims campaigner and founder of the One In Four organisation, Colm O'Gorman said he was not aware of the priest in question but was not surprised to hear about the allegations.

"I don't think we or any of those involved in the Murphy Inquiry will be surprised if it emerges there were complaints about priests in the past that never saw light of day before," Mr O'Gorman said.

The inquiry is scheduled to begin hearing testimony from victims in private at the beginning of June.

One in Four can be contacted on 01-6624070 and outreach support person for the Diocese of Ferns, Sr Helen O'Riordan is available at 053-74792.