This article is from page 4 of the 2008-12-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE Diocese of Killaloe made its largest ever annual payout to vic- tims of clerical sex abuse last year, accounts published last night reveal. The Diocesan accounts for 2007 con- firmed that €619,717 was paid to vic- tims, bringing to over €1.4 million that has been paid out since 2003.
In a statement, the Bishop Willie Walsh pointed out: “The ongoing fallout from the tragedy of sexual abuse by a small number of clergy in
the distant past continues to demand time and resources for healing and reconciliation. €619,717 has been paid in 2007 for this purpose.”
The accounts show that the diocese funded the payout from the €1.5 mil- lion sale of six acres of land at the Dr Walsh’s Ennis residence in 2001.
The 2007 payout is the largest an- nual payment that the diocese has made and is three times the amount paid out in 2006.
The diocese paid out in €191,401 in 2006 and payments of €285,000,
€130,000 and €265,000 to victims of sex abuse by the diocese in 2005, 2004 and 2003 respectively.
The accounts also show that the diocese secured a net surplus of €165,517 last year. This follows the diocese’s income increasing by 24% to €1.043 million. The dio- cese increased its income from its investments in 2007 by 50% – from €290,000 to €437,000.
Dr Walsh also said that “a large portion of our income was derived through dividends from monies in-
vested over the years by the diocese Kom aUb ues mp LEMA\(O)u om
“The recent months of turmoil in financial markets will significantly reduce this particular income stream for 2009. The diocese will therefore have to depend more heavily on the income from parishes to meet its commitments in this climate,’ he SrHCGe
The accounts also show that the di- ocese’s salary bill showed a dramatic increase of 31% going from €141,793 to €186,167.