Victims like Inquiry proposals

PROPOSALS that Minister for Justice Michael McDowell will bring to the Cabinet tomorrow on how best to formally inquire into allegations of clerical child sex abuse would appear to be going generally in the right direction.

Essentially, the proposals will suggest an alternative to the tribunal format. The alternative will probably

consist of a system with statutory powers to inquire into allegations. Currently, the thinking is any new system will conduct an inquiry in private, have the powers to compel people to co-operate, and whoever heads it up will have the authority similar to those of a company inspector.

At this remove, an alternative to a tribunal which has statutory powers is to be welcomed but how broad its remit will be is something still to be determined.

The issue of clerical child sex abuse in the Dublin archdiocese will be investigated, as will similar crimes committed throughout the State.

Whether those crimes are ones alleged to have been committed by members of the clergy or members of a religious order only, or whether it will encompass other agencies, remains to be seen.

It would appear any new system of inquiry would, initially, confine itself to allegations against the clergy. Given that that has been, and still is, the main focus of complaint, it is appropriate that the Government proposals would address it first.

But consideration must be given to widening the brief to include allegations against people in other walks of life, whether they emanate from a voluntary body or State agency.

Figures produced by the Royal College of Surgeons for the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre are sobering, indeed, and point to the need into the future of a permanent, statutory system of inquiry into sexual abuse.

Considering that 27% of Irish children will be sexually abused; 18.6% of children will be subjected to

contact sexual assaults, and one-in-twenty will be raped, then it is imperative that a forum be set up which will be confidential and victim-orientated. One In Four, a support group for victims of clerical child sexual abuse, wants a standing inquiry to investigate how complaints of sexual abuse were handled by any agency, be it Church, State or voluntary body. They suggest the inquiry could undertake investigations on a case-by-case basis.

The organisation has been inundated with allegations of abuse that cross all sectors of society, and on a scale they describe as horrific. That being the case, their argument for a “standing inquiry” to deal with all such allegations, and not just those pertaining to the clergy, must be considered by the Government.

The Cabinet is quite correct in not rushing into establishing a new system of inquiry but if it proceeds along the route which the Minister for Justice has so far outlined, then it will be heading in the right direction.

Yesterday there were protests by Irish SOCA (Survivors Of Child Abuse) outside Catholic Cathedrals in Cork, Dublin, Armagh, Limerick and Galway. Protestors condemned the manner in which the Church has responded to allegations of such abuse perpetrated by members of the clergy.

Their grievances are understandable and heart-rending, as are those of countless victims violated by people other than members of the clergy.

For all their sakes, the new statutory system of inquiry must be unrestricted in investigating allegations of sexual abuse, no matter from where they emanate.