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Timeline Ireland
How the Story of Abuse in Catholic Church Institutions Emerged


Irish Times
November 27, 2009

1987

Insurance taken out by dioceses around the country to cover them against allegations of clerical child sex abuse.

The State publishes its first set of guidelines on child abuse.

1988

Desmond Connell appointed Archbishop of Dublin.

1990

Irish Catholic Church establishes internal committee (chaired by Bishop of Ossory Laurence Forristal) to assess legal implications for Irish priests of child abuse revelations in the future. No Irish case has yet been made public.

1994

JUNE The scandal breaks. Fr Brendan Smyth (right) is sentenced to four years in prison for abuse of children in Northern Ireland.

OCTOBER Irish Catholic Bishops Conference refuses to comment on reports that two Kerry priests were removed from their duties on foot of allegations of child sexual abuse.

NOVEMBER Government falls over divisions between coalition partners Fianna Fáil and Labour over attorney general s handling of extradition requests for Fr Brendan Smyth to Northern Ireland.

1995

APRIL Andrew Madden is the first victim of clerical child sex abuse to go public. The Irish Press reports that he has received a compensation payment in respect of his abuse as a child.

MAY Archbishop Desmond Connell announces that the archdiocese has never paid compensation to any victim of clerical child abuse. He later explains that the money used to compensate Andrew Madden was a loan from the archdiocese to Ivan Payne.

JUNE A Dublin priest receives 12-month sentence for child sex abuse; Belfast priest Daniel Curran sentenced to seven years for child sex abuse. A number of other priests charged with abuse during following months.

SEPTEMBER RTÉ Prime Timeprogramme names Ivan Payne as abuser of Andrew Madden. Archbishop Connell threatens to sue over suggestions that he facilitated the compensation payment to Andrew. No case is ever taken.

OCTOBER The Irish Timesreports that another Dublin priest paid £50,000 compensation to a man he abused as a child.

NOVEMBER Bishops issue fullest apology to date. Wexford priest Fr Sean Fortune charged with child sex abuse.

1996

JANUARY Bishops publish new guidelines on child sex abuse cases The Framework Document, otherwise known as the green book.

1997

JUNE A Dublin priest received an 18-month jail sentence for sexually abusing a young girl during the 1970s.

JULY Fr Brendan Smyth jailed in Dublin for 12 years for abusing children south of the Border.

1998

FEBRUARY Taoiseach Bertie Ahern announces that mandatory reporting of child sex abuse will be introduced within lifetime of current government. (To date, this has still not happened.)

JUNE Irish priest Fr Patrick Maguire (Columban) jailed in London for child abuse (18 months).

Fr Ivan Payne jailed for sexual abuse of eight young boys. His two-year sentence is criticised for being too light.

JULY Fr Gus Griffin (Holy Ghost Fathers) sentenced to seven years for abusing young boys.

Fr Thomas Naughton sentenced to three years for abusing four young altar boys.

1999

MARCH Fr Sean Fortune commits suicide on the eve of his trial on multiple charges of child abuse.

JUNE Pope John Paul II rejects any linkage between child sexual abuse and priestly celibacy.

2001

SEPTEMBER Retired judge Gillian Hussey appointed by hierarchy to chair Church s Child Protection Committee. Audit of all dioceses announced.

2002

MARCH BBC television broadcasts Suing the Pope on the abuse of boys in the Ferns diocese by Fr Sean Fortune.

APRIL Bishop of Ferns Brendan Comiskey resigns in response to evidence that he covered up child sex abuse in his diocese.

Government announces establishment of independent inquiry into child abuse in the Ferns diocese.

JUNE Maynooth trustees announce inquiry into allegations of improper behaviour by its former vice-president, Msgr Micheál Ledwith.

OCTOBER RTÉ s Prime Timebroadcasts Cardinal Secretson the handling by a number of bishops of clerical child sex abuse allegations in the archdiocese of Dublin.

NOVEMBER Government pledges to establish full independent judicial inquiry into Dublin archdiocese s handling of abuse allegations.

DECEMBER Hierarchy disbands its own national audit committee.

2003

JANUARY Mervyn Rundle, abused by Fr Thomas Naughton, receives one of largest settlements to date, reported to be more than EUR 300,000.

MAY Diarmuid Martin named as successor to Desmond Connell as Archbishop of Dublin.

2004

APRIL Cardinal Desmond Connell steps down as Archbishop of Dublin.

2005

OCTOBER Ferns Report is published, detailing extensive child abuse and cover-up.

NOVEMBER Judge Yvonne Murphy appointed to head up Commission of Investigation into the Dublin archdiocese.

2008

JANUARY Cardinal Connell seeks to refuse access by the Commission of Investigation to over 5,000 documents which he claims are confidential. He eventually drops his challenge.

MARCH Bishop Magee of Cloyne steps aside from his duties after it is revealed he did not follow proper child protection guidelines. Government extends remit of Dublin Commission of Investigation to examine the diocese of Cloyne.

2009

MAY Publication of Ryan report on widespread abuse of children in Ireland s institution.

NOVEMBER Murphy report published

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

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