BishopAccountability.org
	Ferns Report to Be Made Public by End of Month By Patsy McGarry and Eithne Donnellan One in Four [Ireland] October 18, 2005 The report of the Ferns inquiry into allegations of child sexual abuse would be made public as quickly as possible, Minister for Health Mary Harney said yesterday. Current indications are that, most likely, it will be published on either Thursday, October 27th or Friday, October 28th - just prior to the Halloween Bank Holiday weekend. The report of the inquiry was delivered to the offices of Ms Harney yesterday afternoon. It has been referred by her to the Attorney General's office. The Minister said yester- day: "The intention would be then to consult with the attorney and the Government but it would always be the intention to make it public unless there were some legal reasons preventing some aspects of it being made public. But the intention would be to make it public as quickly as possible." It is the first report of its kind in the history of the State, following the first completed investigation by this State into how a church body conducted its affairs. The 271-page report follows an inquiry chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Frank Murphy which heard evidence from over 100 complainants of abuse since its hearings began in September 2003. It had the full co-operation of church authorities in the diocese, as well as from the Southeastern Health Board and relevant local gardaí. Among those who gave evidence to it were Bishop Eamonn Walsh, who was appointed apostolic administrator to Ferns diocese following the resignation of Bishop Brendan Comiskey in April 2002, Bishop Comiskey himself, and Dr Michael Ledwith, a priest of the diocese who was formerly president of St Patrick's College, Maynooth.
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