Ahern: National inquiry will follow Ferns Report

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, indicated that a national investigation will take place into clerical abuse of children when he answered questions from the Fine Gael leader in the Dáil this morning.

Enda Kenny said it was a shame that those who were abused in the Ferns diocese were not listened to when they were children.

Mr Ahern said a national investigation will take place, but that there will be an inquiry in the Dublin area first.

He added that he was unsure as to the nature, extent and type of inquiry but he said that it would be on a national level and that it would also look at people who had already been prosecuted.

Meanwhile, CARI, an organisation established to support children and families affected by child abuse, say it should be made a legal compulsion to report any instance of child abuse.

CARI’s National Director, Alan Corbett, says failure to report abuse “really does need to be a crime”.