Accused priest given victim’s file

CLAIMS that the child protection delegate in the diocese of Cloyne handed over a confidential file containing allegations of abuse to the priest at the centre of the allegations are being investigated by the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church’s National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC) is seeking a meeting with Fr Bill Bermingham, who was appointed child protection delegate in 2008 after the diocese’s dangerous child protection record was made public. Fr Bermingham was hailed as part of a new regime where child protection would comply with the best possible standards.

It has emerged Fr Bill Bermingham took an informal statement of allegations of abuse from a woman last summer. He later gave the statement to a priest at the centre of the allegations before the priest was questioned by gardaí. A number of other priests also saw the statement.