Inquiry must be conclusive

As the long-awaited inquiry into sexual abuse

The ex-Bishop of Ferns, Dr Brendan Comiskey, who resigned amid a torrent of criticism over his handling of complaints against priests, is among dozens of Church and State figures who will be summoned to the inquiry to give evidence.

From the outset, the Government insisted on holding a non-statutory probe into how the Church and State bodies reacted to complaints. This is perceived as a weakness in the process, which will be conducted in private because of the highly-sensitive nature of the issues being examined, and also to protect the identity of people involved.