True extent of paedophilia in the Church emerging

A DETAILED picture of the true extent of paedophilia in the Catholic Church in Ireland is emerging for the first time, with records showing almost 250 priests have been accused of child sex abuse and over 60 religious have been convicted.

Information about accused clerics, released by the dioceses, stretches back over several decades, while data on those with criminal convictions were collected separately by the Irish Examiner and relate almost exclusively to the past 10 years.

At least €9 million has been paid out in compensation to victims of clerical abuse but several dioceses have multiple civil actions outstanding, meaning the ultimate cost will be higher.