Top commentator claims massive lack of Vatican cooperation in Ireland

The child abuse situation in Ireland is not the sole fault of the Catholic church. We also have to look at our Irish governments, our Garda force, our media, our medical profession, our teachers, our parents in general, our society in general. It is obvious that some of each of the above knew what was going on, but totally failed to raise the issue. That was very possibly because of "fear of the Catholic church" - but that was/is no excuse whatsoever. Was there NOBODY who was big enough to speak out? With regard to the present day, a few years ago I communicated with Barry Andrews, who was then Minister of State for Children in the previous Irish government, telling him that I had been in touch with a United States organisation (The Gavin Group)and that they (The Gavin Group) were prepared to facilitate any Irish investigation into child abuse by providing the documentation which The Gavin Group uses for its child abuse audits of Catholic dioceses. Because of the vast experience of The Gavin Group in the USA in this field, the documentation freely provided would, at the very least, have been of real interest and assistance. Despite the fact that I spoke with his department on the telephone and, at their invitation, wrote directly to then Minister Andrews, I never received even an acknowledgement. Nobody ever got back to me or the Gavin group, despite my several communications. So much for the interest of our government!! Don't blame the church for everything to do with child abuse. We need to look at our society. Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.

"We serve neither King nor Kaiser - but Ireland!" James Connolly, 1916. 'We serve neither Queen nor Pontiff - but Ireland!' IrelandNorth, 2012. "Leave Ireland to the Irish not for London or for Rome." John Lennon, 1972.

@Nicoletta - Oh no, far from it. I believe that "the truth will set us free"!! You cannot hide from the truth, nor should you even try

suffer the little children to come to me,they certainly believe in that parable.i cant understand why anyone can defend their position.they are unbelievable.bloody disgusting leadership.

More anti-Catholic bigotry from the Irish Central.

Well now, boyos, catch up on your history: this is how the Vatican has responded to criticism for centuries by either ignoring it, denying it or, in times past, by branding its critics as heretics and having them burned alive.

The Vatican has a lot to answer for,in regard to the abuse of the children of their flock,world wide.

There is plenty of blame to go around, but the Irish government has never taken reasonability for anything other than the Celtic tiger. Now the tiger died and Brushless is pulling the strings. It’s time that the government stepped up and took charge and accepted blame for many of our problems, the Catholic Church is not the enemy. By the way the commissions are usually just so much bull and a waste of taxpayer money.

Who knew!

paving the way for their anglican pope 'er royal 'ighness

There is absolutely nothing new in what is being said. And, one can blame the Vatican all it wants to but from over on this side of the Atlantic, it does appear that the Murphy Commission was told how to get info from the Vatican but decided not to follow through. The former Prime Minister is on record as saying the Vatican told people how to get info. So, which side is right in its protests of procedure? Neither - what's the agenda now?

Well said Patsy. This is all the Church's fault. Thankfully the media is hiding nothing from the public. This is as it should be. There has been underhandedness for centuries and now the thruth is out in the open and they are still not dealing with it. The Vatican is blind to any but their own self! Some Christian attitude that is. They deserve all they get.