Dublin diocese paid ?5.5m to the victims of sex abuse

THE Catholic diocese of Dublin has so far paid out more than ?5.5m to 62 victims of clerical sex abuse.

The figure includes legal costs.

A total of 105 civil actions concerning 32 priests have been lodged with the diocese so far - another 43 cases have yet to be settled.

New figures also show that allegations regarding 67 clergy are now known to the diocese, some dating back to 1940.

The figures were revealed in a statement issued last night by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin.

The statement says that the diocese "continues to receive new allegations", but stresses that almost all of them "refer to events which took place many years ago."

It also says that since 1940, approximately 1,500 priests have served in the Dublin archdiocese, meaning 4.4pc have been accused of abuse.

This compares with one in ten of the priests in the Ferns diocese since the early 1960s.

Dublin is the only diocese in the country that has voluntarily given details of the number of its priests accused of abuse, the number of claims so far settled and the number that remain outstanding.

The figures mean that eight more allegations against priests have come to light in Dublin since May 2004.

Last May the oldest allegation dated back to 1954, not 1940.

They also mean that the total number of civil actions against the archdiocese, including those already settled has grown from 79 to 105 over the last year and a half.

CIVIL ACTIONS

These do not include private settlements between a priest and his victim, such as that between Fr Ivan Payne and Andrew Madden.

The ?5.5m so far paid out to the 62 victims consists of ?4.07m in settlements, or an average of ?88,709 each.

Another ?1.514m in legal costs, including the legal costs of the victims, has been paid.

Dr Martin also confirmed in his statement that an audit of diocesan records is ongoing in order to determine exactly how many more priests have been accused of child abuse.

He said: "Following my appointment as Archbishop, I commissioned an audit of the various files concerning priests that are kept by the diocese. This audit will serve to give me a clear and comprehensive overview of all the information available concerning priests who have been the subject of allegations of abuse. It also "allows me to reassure the vast majority of priests that they should have no anxiety in this regard."

A letter from the Archbishop was received yesterday by every priest in the diocese providing the above details and assuring them that every effort is being made to ensure that the Church in Dublin is a safe place for children.

Meanwhile, Mass-goers throughout the country will be told at the weekend what the Church is doing to enhance its child protection procedures.

Fr Tom Hayes, spokesman for the diocese of Cork and Ross said "a message of reassurance" will be read out at Masses this weekend.

He said it will say that "a lot has been done to protect children, but that there is more to do".

Fr Rory O'Sullivan, spokesman for the Kerry diocese said a letter from Bishop Bill Murphy will "explain to people the child protection measures that are in place in the diocese, and that a child-care committee has been in place in the diocese since 1996."

David Quinn