IRELAND
Journal
A REPORT INTO child safeguarding in the Catholic diocese of Achonry has found ’scant evidence’ that the diocese gave information about child sex abuse allegations to gardaí in the past.
The report by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church, one of several published today, was strongly critical of the actions of Bishop Thomas Flynn, who presided over the diocese in Mayo and Sligo for more than 30 years until 2007.
The report found that of the 11 priests against whom allegations have been made in the diocese since 1975, none were ever convicted of an offence. In the majority of the cases, the abuse happened at least thirty years ago.
Nine of the priests are now dead. Of the two who are still alive, one is still in ministry but has retired, while the other has left either the diocese or the priesthood.
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