Abuse inquiry not limited to Church

THE Government’s long-awaited inquiry into clerical sex abuse will eventually be widened to investigate the role of doctors, teachers and other professionals.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell is to bring proposals before the Cabinet next week to seek approval for a flexible inquiry to investigate the handling of abuse cases across the country.

Government sources say that while the first stage of the inquiry will be into clerical abuse in the Archdiocese of Dublin, its scope will be able to examine the handling of sex abuse in other areas.