Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Bishop of Raphoe to issue formal complaint about Irish Independent

“Alarmist” is how an article in last Thursday's (August 11) Irish Independent, was described by Bishop Philip Boyce, Diocese of Raphoe.  

In a statement he said, “I wish to state that it is inaccurate, misleading and as such is not in the public interest.  I intend formally to complain about the matter.”

The article on the front page and inside the Irish Independent states it is reporting on  the “horrific” contents of the report for the National Board for Safeguarding Children on the Diocese of Raphoe which is not due to be published for another two to four  weeks.  

The writer of the article, Greg Harkin, said on RTÉ Radio News at One that he also relied on extra information from confidential sources for the story.  

He quotes an unnamed source stating that there were “hundreds and hundreds of victims.”

This is rejected by Bishop Boyce who stated, “I am shocked to read a sentence in the article stating, “There were hundreds and hundreds of victims, and they were abused again and again while the church actively prevented investigations by the civil authorities.”  

"I wish to assure the people of the Diocese of Raphoe that this assertion is simply not true.  Furthermore it is seriously damaging to the good work of the many trained volunteers who are actively committed to safeguarding children in all of the parishes of the diocese.”

The Bishop went on to say that all allegations of abuse made known to the Diocese of Raphoe are reported to An Garda Síochána and the Health Service Executive.  

He reiterated that he invited Ian Elliot and his team from the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church to conduct a review of the diocesan files relating to child abuse allegations and he gave the board his full co-operation and they examined all files. 

“When I receive the final report from the National Board, probably next month, I am committed to publishing the review.  I will be happy to respond to media queries at that time,” he concluded. 

An HSE report on clerical abuse in the Donegal area is also currently being undertaken.

An editor of a Donegal paper told RTÉ Drivetime that having lived in the area for decades and knowing the issue well, he was surprised at the Irish Independent claim that 20 priests had abused children as there were convictions in the case of six priests and possibly as many again that were not convicted.