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Child safeguarding report on Galway diocese makes 9 recommendations
Nine recommendations have been issued in a report into safeguarding practice in the diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora.
The 28 page document issued by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church examines seven standards.
It’s based on case material made available by Bishop Martin Drennan along with interviews with key personnel who contribute to safeguarding within the diocese.
The review references practice under the leadership of Bishop Drennan, Bishop McLoughlin and Bishop Casey.
The first recommendation is that Bishop Drennan should review all cases of living priests who are on administrative leave to ensure that formal written precepts have been issued and shared with the accused priest, and a copy retained on file.
It’s also suggested that Bishop Drennan appoint a suitable person to initiate the preliminary investigation under an element of Canon law, in relation to all priests out of ministry.
The report also states that a safeguarding co-ordinator should put in place written risk management plans which should be shared with the accused priest.
The NBSCCI template is also highlighted as that to be followed for all case management records.
The report records the incidence of safeguarding allegations received within the Galway Diocese from January 1975 to January 2013.
It notes that 38 allegations have been received by the diocese since 1975.
Three priests against whom an allegation was made are still in ministry and 5 are deceased.
One priest has been convicted in the period of the review for having committed an offence against a child or young person.
Examining church inquiries and processes, it notes that in all cases prompt action was taken to remove men from ministry where credible allegations were made.
However, the exception to this appears in two cases – one of which was brought to the attention of Bishop Casey, which the report finds does not appear to have been afforded the attention it required during the early 1980s.
Bishop McLoughlin was informed of the concerns against this now deceased priest and removed him from ministry in 1995.
There was one other case which was brought to the attention of Bishop McLoughlin where it appears from the records that the complainant did not receive an appropriape response.
The report found that the church organisation has a child protection policy that is written in a clear and understandable way.
The review which is part of a third tranche of such reviews examines files from 1975 to 2010 and has been three months in the making with the main field work completed in January.
The death has occurred of the former Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Martin Drennan, six years after he announced his retirement on health grounds. He was aged 78.
The Galway Diocesan Office confirmed the death this (Saturday) afternoon of the Bishop and Apostolic Administrator Emeritus, who oversaw the Diocese for eleven years.
Born on January 2, 1944 in Piltown, County Kilkenny, he studied for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, from where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. His brother Michael is also a priest.
Following his ordination, he continued his studies in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in both sacred theology and sacred scripture. He returned to Rome in 1980 to become spiritual director at the Pontifical Irish College for the next five years.
He became a lecturer in sacred scripture at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where he continued to teach until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin in 1997 with responsibility for East Wicklow and South Dublin.
Following the retirement of Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Drennan was appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora and he was installed on July 3, 2005 in Galway Cathedral.
Outgoing Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) is on course to retain her City Council seat – and top the poll in City East.
With 33% of the boxes tallied, Cllr O’Flaherty is polling strongly, particularly in Renmore.
Michael John Crowe is ahead of his running mate Alan Cheevers for the Fianna Fáil vote, according to the early figures, although that could change when Doughiska and Roscam boxes are opened.
The Green Party’s Claire Hillery is on about 7%, with Fine Gael on 10% and Sinn Fein on 5%.
The opening of boxes for the local elections began at 9am this morning in Leisureland when the tallymen (and women) kicked into gear.
As regards the Galway County Council elections, the smaller areas are being opened first which means that the four-seater Connemara North boxes will be first in the pecking order.
It will be followed by Gort-Kinvara (5 seats), Connemara South (5 seats), Athenry-Oranmore (7 seats), Ballinasloe (6 seats), Loughrea (5 seats) and finally Tuam (7 seats).
The boxes in these areas will be opened and tallied in that particular order before being transferred to the Galway Lawn Tennis Club on Threadneedle Road where the counting will commence around mid-morning.
That is when the fun will really begin – although the tallies should give a good indication as to where most of the seats are destined.
As regards the city, the Galway City East boxes were opened first, followed by Galway City Central and finally Galway City West. These votes will be transferred to the Westside Centre by around 11am for counting.
There are 39 seats on Galway County Council to be filled with 18 on Galway City Council. The City Council count is expected to conclude on Saturday night but the County Council count – with seven electoral areas to be filled – could well go into Monday.
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