Public ’overestimates’ priest abuse’ – survey

Almost half of Irish people believe that a fifth of priests are guilty of child abuse, a survey has revealed.

The Iona Institute, which commissioned the research, said almost a third of those surveyed were closer to the figure of 4% of clerics reported in a study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in the US. Iona, which describes itself as a pro-religion organisation, said the poll carried out by Amarach Research reveals that a clear majority of the public overestimate the number of paedophile priests in the Catholic Church. Professor Patricia Casey, consultant psychiatrist and Iona patron, said: “There has been very deep and completely justified public anger over the scandal of child sex abuse by clergy.