Wexford cleric denies historic child abuse allegation

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, May 24, 2011, 8:12 AM

Updated Tuesday, May 24, 2011, 8:12 AM

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A Wexford priest has denied any wrongdoing after a woman contacted police over an alleged child sex abuse incident 30 years ago.

The complaint of child sexual abuse was made against Fr John Sweetman two weeks ago and refers to his time as a young priest in Wexford town.

Currently the parish priest in Riverchapel, Fr Sweetman has taken leave from all clerical duties while the complaint is investigated by police and health service officials.

On Saturday, according to the Irish Independent, Fr Sweetman told parishioners that the allegation was ‘completely untrue’ but he explained that under church child protection procedures he would stand down.
Fr Sweetman didn’t attend Sunday mass in his parish when a statement from the Diocese of Ferns was read out at all masses.

The diocese was the subject of a government enquiry in 2005 which investigated claims of more than 100 child abuse cases involving 21 priests between 1962 and 2002.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Ferns told the Irish Independent: “When the diocese receives a concern about a priest that relates to safeguarding children, it immediately notifies the gardai (police), the HSE and the church’s National Office for the Safeguarding of Children.”

A police spokesman has also confirmed to the Independent that a ‘historic’ complaint has been made against Fr Sweetman and is under investigation.

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CaptainCon | May 25, 2011, 06:34 AM EDT

Actually lets prosecute the degenerates whose names were covered by false names in the Ryan Report (the Minister for Justice claimed the publication of real names might 'prejudice subsequent prosecutions). That was three years ago and no prosecutions have taken place. The Irish government cover up on behlaf of the catholic church continues. The Irish Secretary General to the Dept of Justice has just yesterday attempted to fool a UN Committee by telling them on the subject of the women incarcerated in the Magdalene Laundries that the women need to complain to Gardai before any action can take place. The Committee had to inform Ireland's most senior civil servant in the Justice Department that he was talking through his hole- that Ireland's obligations under UN law do not rest on the notion of Garda station reports and that the government has obligations to investigate and redress. Sean Aylward was also the Department of Justice's senior civil servant under Fianna Fail and he seems to be seamlessly taking his remarkably poor understanding of Irish obligations under UN treaties from a Fianna Fail administration to a Fine Gael Labour one. One has to wonder why Ireland's senior Justice Dept civil servant seems to be so badly informed. He needs to explain in conjunction with the Department of Public Prosecution what has happened to the Ryan Report prosecutions and stop trying to bullshit on behalf of Ireland's social remedials in the civil service and church.

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SingleDonald | May 24, 2011, 04:18 PM EDT

As I always say, this is preposterous! 1981??? How can this woman adequately prove, or Father John Sweetman sufficiently disprove the allegations? As bad as pedophilia is, this Church scandal is becoming equivalant to the political climate of the French Revolution. Any accusation can get one sent to the "guillotine"! That ended on July 26th, 1794, when Maximillian Robespiere himself went to the guillotine. Let's concentrate on recent cases, and build a Church culture which cares for the well being of all of its members, children and adults. Of course, financial incentives should always be suspected, with claims of long ago abuse!

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ochshane | May 24, 2011, 10:28 AM EDT

A sweet man,no doubt.

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