DPP out of step with abuse victims

FOR the ten victims who have made Garda complaints about the horrific abuse they endured at the hands of ‘Father B’ in Cloyne, Co Cork, the expected publication later this year of the Dublin Archdiocese report is certainly another important milestone in their hard-fought battle for justice.

The Church itself has investigated how it mishandled their abuse complaints [in the damning National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC) report published two years ago]. And the state has also undertaken a forensic examination (the Dublin Archdiocese report) of how this abuser was enabled by the Church to continue his rampage of sexual abuse and rape. But nine criminal investigations into Father B’s actions hit a brick wall with a thud once they reached the Director of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP) office. A decision is still outstanding on the tenth file.

For the women who were systematically groomed, abused and raped by this supposed pillar of the local community, the DPP’s failure to take on any of these cases is not just frustrating or anger inducing, it just does not make sense. Top ranking gardaí who viewed the files before they went to Dublin all thought they were “rock solid”, as did any lawyers involved with the cases. Yet, time after time, the same conclusion is flung at them and still Father B walks around his local town, sniggering at their hurt and anger.