Cloyne abuse report - This silence cannot continue

WHATEVER reasoning was used by Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Barry Andrews, when he decided not to immediately publish a Department of Health commissioned report into how allegations of child sexual abuse were handled by the Diocese of Cloyne, it stinks to high heaven.

Labour TD Seán Sherlock, who has been denied the report, was informed by the minister yesterday: “The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church (NBSCCC) whose report this is, have the option to publish the report at any time.

“In view of the above and the fact that the report was not commissioned by [the] Government nor by the department, there is currently no commitment to lay the report of the NBSCCC before the houses of the Oireachtas,” continued the minister.