Law must apply to all cases of abuse

THE Cloyne report has stated its findings and they are truly shocking and utterly indefensible.

Outrage at the abuse inflicted on young people and outrage at the authorities in the diocese who mishandled the complaints are totally justified. It is a sad chapter in the history of the diocese and of the church in Ireland. As the frenzied media reaction begins to settle down, it is important to focus on the real issues so as to look to the future with some hope.

The Government reaction has been swift and positive. New legislation is to be fast-tracked to ensure that instances of abuse are immediately brought to the attention of the civil authorities. This begs the question as to why such legislation comes so late in the day. We have had two previous reports without any such reaction. While the Church is taking a hammering, it should be noted that Judge Murphy’s report found no evidence that the Department of Health and Children had carried out a study of “third party abuse” which it had signed up as part of the reform process. Indeed, the report states that the department refused to hand over documents to the enquiry.