Former priest loses second defrocking appeal

A second appeal by a former priest against his dismissal from the priesthood over child sex abuse has been thrown out.

Daniel Duane, from Mallow in Cork, was defrocked following a canon law trial regarding abuse of teenagers and minors.

In a statement, Bishop of Cloyne William Crean said a second appeal made by Mr Duane to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome had been rejected, and no other appeal could be made to them in this regard.

In March 2013, a secret canonical court set up by the Cloyne diocese’s former administrator, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Dermot Clifford, ruled Mr Duane should be forced to stand down as a priest having heard from a number of his victims.

In January of this year, it was confirmed that Mr Duane’s appeal of this decision was rejected by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

In its 2013 judgement, the canonical court “reached the decision with moral certainty” that the priest had sexually abused minors and teenagers and that he “should be dismissed from the clerical state”.

It is understood Mr Duane was the subject of up to 11 complaints of abuse. However, he had faced two criminal charges for sex abuse and was acquitted in both cases.

In May 2011, he was found not guilty of indecently assaulting a teenage girl by direction of the trial judge, who expressed concerns about the alleged victim’s delay in making a complaint to gardaí.

Six months later, a jury found Mr Duane not guilty of indecently assaulting a second teenager, following a three-day trial.

Bishop Crean said he was grateful to the survivors of abuse who had the courage to come forward to speak about their experiences.

“This has been a long and painful process for all involved.

“At this time, I wish to reassure the people of the Diocese of Cloyne that comprehensive child safeguarding measures are in place in the diocese and I thank the safeguarding representative in parishes in the diocese who are working to ensure that children’s welfare is protected in all Church activities,” he said.

The defrocking of the priest will lead to him being forced to leave the diocesan-owned house he lived in for the past six years.

One survivor said: “We are absolutely delighted that we have got justice today as this is the only justice we’ve ever got despite years of fighting. That we got our justice from the Church too is great”.

In a statement the Cloyne Survivors Group expressed “relief” Mr Duane’s second appeal against his defrocking had failed. “The church and the survivors have been working together with public bodies concerned with safeguarding children. The survivors welcome this new era of cooperation to ensure the protection of children which has always been their main priority since coming forward,” a statement said.

As Mr Duane is no longer a member of the clergy, Tusla the child and family agency will take the lead in monitoring the former priest.

He had been a priest in numerous North Cork parishes but was never made a parish priest by a bishop.