Victims call for child protection role change after priest resigns

CLERICAL abuse victims have called for the role of the diocesan child protection delegate to be re-evaluated by the Catholic Church in the aftermath of the resignation of Cloyne delegate Father Bill Bermingham.

Fr Bermingham stood down from his designate role after public outcry at his decision to hand over an informal victim statement to an accused priest before the priest was subjected to Garda interview. Fr Bermingham had defended his actions robustly, declaring that he was only complying with Church guidelines which state details should be given to the accused. He said he did not know that gardaí intended to interview the victim. Fr Bermingham himself had reported the abuse to gardaí and the HSE.

The woman at the centre of the case had said that when she met with Fr Bermingham, she was assured that the meeting would be “totally confidential”. She has said she was not made aware that Fr Bermingham was taking notes. However, her disclosures to Fr Bermingham were later forwarded to the priest she was accusing and two other senior priests. The accused priest was given access to her informal comments twice – once verbally and he later requested a written copy for his solicitor.