Churchgoers should not have to pay for another layer of bureauracy

I WAS puzzled by the one-page feature (Irish Examiner, October 23) in which Seán McCárthaigh uncritically took on board the faulting by Colm O’Gorman of our clergy for not having mandatory reporting of sex-abuse allegations against priests and other church workers.

He should, I suggest, have asked Mr O’Gorman why he doesn’t fault our schools, health and legal services, and so on, for not having mandatory reporting.

Why pick on our church? Why should our Mass contributions pay for yet another layer of church bureaucracy? Why should we underwrite a “National Office for Child Protection whose chief executive is expected to be a lay professional with expertise in childcare management at the highest level?”