Keeping it quiet was a typical response

MONSIGNOR Denis O’Callaghan is also severely criticised in his handling of one of the two complaints made against Fr Tarin.

In early April 2002, “Maille” met Msgr O’Callaghan and outlined a serious sexual assault on her by Fr Tarin in the 1950s when she was a child.

According to Msgr O’Callaghan’s note of the meeting she did not want the involvement of the Garda or any other agency in the matter.

Msgr O’Callaghan wrote to Fr Tarin about the incident and — although the latter could not remember it — told Msgr O’Callaghan to accept the woman’s word on the matter.

The commission found that the case “typifies” Msgr O’Callaghan’s attitude to the reporting of child sexual abuse.

“He did not follow the Church guidelines which are quite clear on the duty to report to the gardaí and the health authorities. Though he had evidence of a vicious sexual assault, he decided, in view of the fact that Maille, as was common, merely wanted an apology and did not want to take the matter further, to try and bury the matter,” the commission found.

By the time the gardaí were informed of this case and a further one against Fr Tarin, the priest had died so no further action could be taken.