Clergy welcome call to harmonise protocols for priests put on leave after abuse claims

Priests have welcomed the apostolic visitation’s acknowledgement that further work needs to be completed by the Catholic Church here to ensure that clerics on leave following abuse allegations are all being treated the same across the dioceses.

The Association of Catholic Priests had met with the visitation to discuss its belief that “existing protocols and guidelines” in this area were not refined enough “to ensure justice was done”. It said that up to now, the handling of priests on leave “was left up to the individual diocese”.

“Some priests are being given somewhere to live and an income after they have been accused of abuse, others aren’t. Some who are convicted are given a place to live, an income and are monitored, others aren’t,” said Fr Brendan Hoban.