Enda Kenny demands Catholic Church’s cooperation when it comes to child safety plans
Irish leader acknowledges Vatican’s apology for ‘for the terrible suffering of victims of child abuse’
Published Thursday, October 6, 2011, 8:26 AM
Updated Thursday, October 6, 2011, 10:28 AM
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Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny
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Speaking in Ireland’s parliament, Taoiseach (Prime Minsiter) Enda Kenny asked for the “complete and unreserved co-operation of church authorities” on ensuring the safety of children from abuse.
The Fine Gael leader also said that he has had no contact with the Catholic Church authorities in Ireland, or the Holy See, since his controversial speech in parliament with relation to the Cloyne Report and the Vatican’s dealings with clerical child abuse.
He told Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams that he accepted the testimony of Ireland’s Primate Cardinal Sean Brady.
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Kenny acknowledged the Holy See’s apology and that the Church is “is sorry and ashamed for the terrible suffering of victims of child abuse in Ireland and their families and the acceptance of grave failures over the handling of the child sex abuse scandal”.
Although he acknowledged many were disappointed with the Vatican’s response, he said he was satisfied with the response. He said it “is of value in coming to terms with the sad history of abuse and the inadequate handling of cases”.
He told the Government that the only way forward was one of dialogue and cooperation. He said “With confidence, I require and expect to have the complete and unreserved co-operation of the church authorities and everyone in our society to that end.”
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Carroll09 | Oct 09, 2011, 10:36 AM EDT
Eiriamach - you have put a lot of words into my mouth. If I have said anything on Irish Central where I condone child abuse or the coverup of it by either Church or State, you may point it out to me. I have not engaged in deflecting from the issue - I have merely drawn attention to some facts that Mr Kenny would do well not to forget. On the contrary, it is Mr Kenny who is deflecting from the wider issue - he cannot demand co-operation from the Catholic Church (though I believe it should co-operate) while at the same time not demand the same level of co-operation from his own state bodies such as the HSE. THAT is hypocrisy.
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eiriamach | Oct 07, 2011, 02:57 PM EDT
@Barneyjo, maybe Archbishop Martin or another official will reply in an agreeable way to the Taoiseach's initiative. In this situation, I do not think that their 'silence gives consent.' The silence of church officials means that they still consider themselves above the laws of the state, good and necessary laws. This is another opportunity for them to signal a change. Will they let it slip by again? We'll see.
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CaptainCon | Oct 07, 2011, 07:30 AM EDT
Thats what we are down to now is it with church deflectors? A demand that their organisation be attended to last in the queue despite there being enough evidence for a deliberate cover up of sexual abuse of children from that organisation? I wonder what a judge in a court of law would make of a demand from someone accused of assault to clear out anyone who has ever committed assault from the Gardai and judiciary first before sentencing him? Nonsense piece of logic from the deflectors there and yet another example of somewhat dodgy ethical positioning. Their own messiah would have a millstone tied to the necks of child abusers and have thrown them in the sea. They should read the bible they are continually wittering about.
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gordongoblin | Oct 07, 2011, 04:23 AM EDT
The church is only sorry it got caught, and sorry that a stern look from the bishops has not swept the whole affair under the carpet. They are not sorry for what they have done.
The way forward is not in us co-operating with them, it is in us no longer listening to them. They need to pay their debt to us and then leave us alone.
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warlocks | Oct 07, 2011, 01:18 AM EDT
I Say Drive out the Snakes in Ireland -------(the Pedophile R.C Priests) & THE Pagan Dictators of the Vatican. Bring Back the Old Church of Ireland. Based in Ireland By Irishmen !
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warlocks | Oct 07, 2011, 01:07 AM EDT
Do People Really Believe a Lepord will change its spots ? The R C Church has a very dark history that goes back almost 2000 years . you can see that the Hunted became the Hunter's this is no longer the Chruch Jesus & his First Apostles created. this is the Pagan & Corrupt Church of the Old Roman State Church that Emperor Constantine Created . Not even Close to the Origional Chruch . Jesus called --- THE WAY !
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barneyjo | Oct 06, 2011, 06:52 PM EDT
@Eiriamach - "There are none so blind as those who will not (cannot) see" With Gods help, the minds of indifferent posters, even such as these, will be open, sooner or later; by divine will and not by nothing else!! Kilnacrott Abbey, county Cavan, Ireland in 1975; for me that is when the line separating decency from inhumanity was crossed by my Irish Church, and I now realise, and accept that it remains ont he wrong side of that line. It will do so until it fully acknowledges the great wrongs and damage done in its name. Posters such Carroll09 and Trealach will be party to that acknowledgement and they will rejoice in it for they too will know that it was the God of us all that opened their eyes (finally) to the evil their midst. And it will be a happy day for them, knowing that, as it was for me!!
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eiriamach | Oct 06, 2011, 06:12 PM EDT
Except for tomgallagher's and Searlit's, the responses to this article are inhumane. The Taoiseach asks for cooperation in protecting children, too many of whom have been victimized in horrific ways, and people say he has no right to demand co-operation with the effort? I cannot recall the last time reading IC postings made me so angry that, in a flash of vision, I saw the Archangel Michael handing me a commission and a gleaming sword to strike down anyone who dared reject such an idea! No, I'm making no threat of physical violence but writing only metaphorically. If words were swords, I would draw their sharpened edges through the stubborn, stiff-necked, self-serving verbal impudence in most of the postings below. Do you folks think about what's at stake in your reply, or do you just puke up vile excuses from your guts?
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eiriamach | Oct 06, 2011, 05:45 PM EDT
Carroll09 writes, "While I would not deny or wish to diminish the horrific crimes perpetrated by some within the Catholic Church...." Ah, but you DO deny these horrific crimes, don't you? You certainly reserve the Church's right to continue them and to continue concealing them from state authorities! You reject the Taoiseach's demand that clergy pledge cooperation ***without reservation*** to the state's efforts to ensure the safety of children. You reserve the right to demand that the state first "get its own house in order" by passing a mandatory reporting law. Hypocrisy! The Irish bishops adopted a mandatory reporting procedure in their "Framework" document, the Vatican warned them against implementing it, they went ahead with it anyway, and as the Cloyne Report well documents, clergy and bishops then proceeded to IGNORE IT. We have absolutely no evidence whatever that any Irish clergy are willing to obey the just laws of the Irish state regarding child abuse! This silence and open refusal is unconscionable. How can anyone reject the Taoiseach's request for cooperation in the protection of children? And then you deflect from the issue by attributing children's deaths to state care and Mr. Kenny's earlier failure to protect children, when he was one voice in the Dail. How cynical and uncaring and contemptuous of just laws can people get?
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Trealach | Oct 06, 2011, 02:38 PM EDT
That's a bit rich coming from a Facilitator of child abuse. He needs to take the log out of his eye before making such stupid demands. Who the hell does he think he is!!
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Searlit | Oct 06, 2011, 02:30 PM EDT
I hope the Taoiseach cleans house on the State side of this scandal, as well. Children deserve the protection of the State, from abuse by anyone who has power and authority over them, including the employees who work for the State.
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rainbowbrew | Oct 06, 2011, 12:06 PM EDT
Wow what a horrible statistic, thanks for the insight carroll09
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Carroll09 | Oct 06, 2011, 11:26 AM EDT
While I would not deny or wish to diminish the horrific crimes perpetrated by some within the Catholic Church, I would suggest to Mr Kenny that he get his own house in order first. The Cloyne Report - while acknowledging that policies were not followed in that diocese - makes it very clear that the Church in Ireland has more effective requirements and procedures when it comes to child protection than the state does. I have first-hand experience of this. Of course such procedures are only effective where those charged with implementing them actually do so - which begs the question, why have successive governments (including Mr Kenny's) dallied over the issue of mandatory reporting. Mr Kenny, however, seems quite unconcerned by the fact that approximately 200 children (according to the HSE) have died while in state care in the past decade alone.
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tomgallagher | Oct 06, 2011, 10:55 AM EDT
Keep the pressure on them Mr. Prime Minister.
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