Bishops seek more vetting of people working with children

Ireland's Catholic bishops have called on the Government to immediately introduce a cross-border vetting system for people working with children.

The call was made yesterday at the Oireachtas education committee, which is currently examining the recommendations of the Ferns Report into clerical child sex abuse in co Wexford.

The Bishop of Kilmore Leo O'Reilly, speaking on behalf of the Irish Bishops Conference, said an improved vetting system was urgently needed as flaws in the current system could be exploited by determined abusers on both sides of the border.