Nationwide church abuse inquiry ordered

A TOP level investigation into whether paedophile priests have been allowed to remain in positions of authority despite serious accusations of child abuse against them will be ordered by the Cabinet tomorrow.

The sweeping national audit of every diocese in the country is to be unveiled by Justice Minister Michael McDowell alongside a statutory inquiry centred on allegations in the Dublin area.

The framework for the most far-reaching investigation into the scale of abuse by priests in Ireland has been revised in the aftermath of the Ferns report following consultation with victims and to encompass the national scale of the probe.