Seven appointed to clerical abuse commission

Judge Gillian Hussey has appointed seven people to serve on the independent commission into the handling of clerical sex abuse allegations by the Catholic Church.

The commission, which is chaired by Judge Hussey, will investigate the level of knowledge church authorities had about abuse allegations and how they managed such complaints.

The seven people appointed to help the inquiry are Robert Bunting, who has over 30 years experience in child and family care services; former Ansbacher inspector Michael Cush; clinical psychologist and psychotherapist Rosaleen McElvaney; former Garda Superintendent John McGroarty; former Senator, TD and college lecturer Maurice Manning; UCD researcher Ian O’Donnell; and Suzanne Phelan, a childcare manager with the Northern Area Health Board.