This article is from page 17 of the 2011-07-26 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
CALLS for the resignation of the Bishop of Killaloe, Kieran O’Reilly, have been described as “unfair and unjust” by diocesan spokesperson Fr Brendan Quinlivan, who believes that the diocese “can stand up to” any judicial or Church investigation into the handling of allegations against clergy in the Killaloe Diocese.
This comes after calls from Clare Senator Martin Conway (FG) for the resignations of both the Bishop of Killaloe, Kieran O’Reilly and the Bishop of Galway and Kilfenora, Martin Drennan.
“I think that to call for his resignation is unfair and unjust, he has been in office for less than a year. He has [implemented], and will continue to implement, the child policy in the Diocese of Killaloe as begun by Bishop Willie Walsh,” he told The Clare People .
“Bishop Willie Walsh was very open and reports concerning the conduct in the diocese were published either last year or the year before.
“Bishop O’Reilly has continued on in that way and any statutory body or Church investigation would get access to any files they are looking for.
“We have been fully compliant with both Church and state guidelines [on the handling of allegations against the clergy].”
It also now looks likely that the Diocese of Killaloe will publish the results of an audit into its recent performance with regards to the handling of allegations against priests when the audit is completed later this year.
The audit, being undertaken by the Church’s own child welfare organisation, is due to take place in September.
“We stand ready for the audit of the diocese which will take place later this year. My understanding is that an audit will take place in Killaloe in September and we are ready for that,” continued Fr Quinlivan.
“I am confident that we can stand over our practices and that we can stand up to any investigation from any Church or state body. It is down to each bishop to decide if he wants to publish the results of these audits and I would imagine that Bishop O’Reilly will do so.
“I think it must be remembered that it was just such a report that prompted the Cloyne Report to take place.”
Meanwhile, relations between the Irish government and the vatican reached an all time low yesterday when the vatican recalled its ambassador to Dublin. Papal nuncio, Giuseppe Lenaza, was called back to Rome yesterday after what was described the “excessive reaction” by the Irish government to Cloyne’s Report.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny (FG) received a standing ovation at the McGill Summer School over the weekend following his unprecedented attack on the hierarchy of the church last week.