Kenny Calls For Vatican Support

The Vatican and government continue to debate with Taoiseach Enda Kenny calling for full Vatican support in ensuring children are safe from paedophile priests.

The Irish Cabinet said it stood by Kenny's unprecedented attack on the Catholic hierarchy over issues concerning sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne. The Government keep the view that Rome has interfered in Irish civil law.

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has said the Government stands over its criticism of the Vatican's handling of child abuse allegations.

Meanwhile Last night, the Government said Mr Kenny's ‘Dáil comments’ in July on the Cloyne Report accurately reflected the public anger.

Despite this a statement by the Government said: "It hoped that, in spite of outstanding differences, lessons have been learned from appalling past failures.

"In this regard, we welcome the commitment in the concluding remarks of the Holy See’s response to a constructive dialogue and cooperation with the Government."

The Cloyne Report And Vatican Response

The sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne is officially elaborated as the "Commission of Investigation, Dublin Archdiocese, Catholic Diocese of Cloyne". It has examined how allegations of sexual abuse of children in the diocese were dealt with by the church and state.

The investigation was led by Judge Yvonne Murphy, The Cloyne Report, and published in July 2011.

The inquiry was ordered to look at child protection practices in the diocese and how it dealt with complaints against 19 priests made from 1996.

The Vatican response denied that it undermined the Irish bishops’ efforts to protect children from sexual abuse and described as ‘unfounded’ claims that it tried to interfere in government investigations regarding the Church’s handling of sex abuse cases.

Government Response

The revelations of the Cloyne report has brought the Government, Irish Catholics and the Vatican to an unprecedented juncture.

A well document speech given by Mr Kenny in the Dail accused the Vatican of interfering with investigations as recently as three years ago. The Irish cabinet has stood by Mr Kenny’s criticisms.