The God Squad

The Irish Times – Wednesday, November 25, 2009
STEPHEN COLLINS and PATSY McGARRY

THE CABINET was briefed yesterday by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern on the report into the handling of clerical child sex abuse allegations by Church and State authorities in Dublin’s Catholic archdiocese.

A Government spokesman said the 750-page report would be published tomorrow.

Plans to publish it earlier were changed because of yesterday’s public sector strike. There were concerns that helplines would not be available for people who had suffered abuse.

In the High Court on Thursday last the report was cleared for publication, following some edits, by Mr Justice Paul Gilligan after a series of in camera hearings.

Victims’ groups yesterday called for victims to be given copies of the report a day before publication.

Meanwhile, Catholic Bishop of Kilmore Dr Leo O’Reilly has expressed “profound sorrow and regret” to a victim of abuse by a priest of the diocese who was jailed last Monday. Fr Michael Molloy (44), was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of defilement of a boy and one of possession of child pornography. The offences took place at a number of locations including a parochial house in 2006 and 2007.

Bishop O’Reilly said yesterday that he was first made aware of allegations against the priest by gardaí following Fr Molloy’s arrest in September 2007.

“This was the first complaint of any kind received against Fr Molloy during his years of priestly ministry. The gardaí and the HSE have been advised of all previous appointments held by him,” he said.

“I have referred his case to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome and I now intend to initiate a canonical process in relation to Fr Molloy,” he said.

He said that “these past two years have been an extremely difficult and painful time for the victim and for the family of the victim.” He assured them they had been in his “thoughts and prayers”.