Published Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Raphoe in Co Donegal is feared to be the worst diocese in Ireland regarding clerical abuse, with exceptionally high numbers of allegations made.
More than 50 complaints were made to gardaí against 14 priests in the area over four decades - over 20 of them relating to serial paedophile Father Eugene Green.
He was eventually jailed for raping 26 boys, but the current Bishop of Raphoe insists the Catholic hierarchy had no knowledge of his activities at the time.
"It's hard to credit that he could have done such destruction on children and no word was passed along," Bishop Philip Boyce admitted.
He apologised on behalf of the diocese and said that those who had come forward with allegations of having been abused had not been well treated by the Church.
"Insufficient emphasis was often placed on the need of victims, in the misguided attempts to protect the reputation of the Church and we are truly sorry for the harm that was done," Bishop Boyce said.
What we are dealing with here is a painful chapter, unlike anything else that I have seen or read about in the history of the Church. What I would like people today to see is a Church that has learnt, a Church that is learning - a Church that is trying to deal with this openly and transparently.
Bishop of Dromore John McAreavey
One abuse survivor challenged Bishop Boyce and said that those affected in Co Donegal want a full, independent judicial review.
"It didn't go far enough," John O'Donnell said. "I'll still be asking for a state enquiry."
Another abuse survivor also questioned the independence of the review.
"It's the Church investigating the Church and I don't think the Church can investigate the Church," Jon McCourt said.
"Especially when the Church draws the rules and when the Church decides what's released and what is not released, who will comment and who won't comment."
A separate report into the Derry diocese revealed that 26 priests had faced more than 30 allegations of abuse, but no convictions were made. A number of cases were settled out of court.
"The avoidance of scandal, the preservation of the reputations of individual and of the Church sometimes took precedence over the safety and welfare of children," Monsignor Eamon Martin said.
"This has disgraced us."
In the Dromore diocese, a report showed that 35 allegations of abuse had been made since 1975 against 10 priests - three of whom have since died, while the remaining seven are out of ministry or have left the priesthood.
None of them were ever convicted.
"The disclosure in report after report that children and young people had been abused by the Church and the inadequate response of Church leaders has caused deep distress and dismay," the Bishop of Dromore said.
Dr John McAreavey added: "We will do everything in our power, with the best resources that are available to us, to make sure it doesn't happen again."
Six reviews were carried out by the Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland, revealing that 164 allegations had been made across six dioceses over four decades.
The reports published on Wednesday also looked at how child protection measures have changed since 1975 and set out what is currently being done to safeguard young people in the dioceses.