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	Clerical Abuse Probe Widens Belfast Today [Northern Ireland] February 5, 2007 http://www.belfasttoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=3425&ArticleID=2023129 The PSNI are still considering a Ferns-style inquiry into clerical sex abuse across Northern Ireland dating back to the 1960s, it has been confirmed. In October 2005, after an official Irish Government inquiry, the Ferns Report concluded bishops had covered up sexual abuse of children by 21 priests since 1966 to 2002 in the Ferns diocese. The PSNI and Department of Health then met with the Roman Catholic Church two months later about the implications for Northern Ireland. More than six formal meetings took place, with police meeting Church legal representatives in January, 2006. In March last year, it is understood the Church provided statistics on allegations of child abuse within Northern Ireland and a summary of every allegation has been handed over to police. A PSNI police spokesman has now confirmed the probe is still ongoing. He said: "A formal investigation is being conducted and on completion a report will be passed to the Public Prosecution Service as appropriate." However, despite such a lengthy investigation, on Jan- uary 15 a spokesman for the Government said in Parliament that they did not know how many Roman Catholic officials have been interviewed by police in Northern Ireland or charged in relation to withholding evidence of child abuse over the past 10 years. Minister Paul Goggins told MP Teresa May that the PSNI said the information was not available in the requested format and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "Officials have met with senior representatives of the Roman Catholic Church on a number of occasions following publication of the Ferns Report. "DHSSPS has written to the main churches inviting them to participate in an audit of their child protection procedures with a view to providing them with guidance." The UUP family affairs spokesman Esmond Birnie said: "An independent inquiry could be very helpful in restoring public confidence. I am not completely convinced the Church has done all it can to restore public confidence since Ferns." A spokesperson for the Catholic Church said a round-up of all allegations since 1965 had been given to the police, adding that the Catholic Church was the first institution in Northern Ireland to have voluntarily conducted such a survey.
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