IRELAND
Irish Examiner

By Claire O’Sullivan

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Clerical abuse victims have criticised the summary of the Vatican report into child protection practices as “window dressing”, but priests and the hierarchy have praised the document.

Last night, it emerged that child protection legislation was being prepared. Frances Fitzgerald, the children’s minister, said child protection guidelines would soon be on a statutory footing.

She was responding to the report drawn up by four bishops who travelled to Ireland at the request of Pope Benedict two years ago.

They met with religious leaders, abuse victims, and the wider Catholic community as part of an effort to analyse the state of child protection guidelines and challenges for the wider Irish Church.