Church paedophile victims demand abuse inquiry

The new claims emerged as three men, abused as boys by Fr Fortune, demanded answers to why priests in the diocese of Ferns were able to continue abusing youngsters despite scores of complaints.

Meanwhile, Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne promised to co-operate with any inquiry into the scandal, adding that he was unhappy with an investigation eight years ago into abuse by Fr Jim Grennan.

The Bishop of Ferns, Brendan Comiskey, tendered his resignation to the Pope last Thursday after being accused in a television documentary of failing to stop the crimes of Fr Fortune. The Bishop was at the Vatican today to formalise his departure from his post.

But the three victims, Colm O’Gorman, Donnacha Mac Gloinn and Pat Jackman, said they wanted the ‘‘scapegoated’’ Bishop to stay in place to assist an investigation into the affair.

Mr O’Gorman said: ‘‘Whilst we acknowledge that he was in an untenable position we regret that he resigned before finally responding to our requests for a full and frank disclosure of the church’s role in this whole affair.’’

Some victims had written to the Pope calling on him to reject the resignation, Mr O’Gorman said.

He added: ‘‘We have simply sought answers to questions that we believe the Church has a moral and legal duty to answer.’’

The men, who have formed the support group One in Four, are to meet Health Minister Micheal Martin in Kilkenny tomorrow where they will personally demand an inquiry into the Ferns scandal.

Mr O’Gorman, the group’s head, said they were ‘‘very positive’’ that they would succeed: ‘‘I do not see at this stage how that cannot go ahead,’’ he said.

And the men demanded answers from Cardinal Desmond Connell, President of the Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Sean Brady and the Pope as to how much the church knew of Fr Fortune’s crimes before he was finally arrested.

Fr Fortune killed himself with a cocktail of drink and drugs in 1999, escaping trial.

The men also wanted to know how many complaints the Church had received about child sex abuse, how many of these complaints were passed to the civil authorities and whether the Vatican and Church would co-operate with an inquiry.

They are seeking files, including those ‘‘stacked from the floor to the ceiling’’ in Bishop Comiskey’s office relating to Fr Fortune and his crimes.

Up to now Mr O’Gorman had been ‘‘absolutely treated with contempt’’ by Cardinal Connell and Archbishop Brady, who have said they knew too little about the Fr Fortune scandal to comment in detail.

Mr O’Gorman went on: ‘‘Since the broadcast of the film I have personally been contacted by many, many people who have told me horrific stories of neglect and abuse by the church authorities.

‘‘I have spoken to five more of Sean Fortune’s victims who have, up until now, never disclosed their own abuse.

‘‘We hope that the (health) minister will recognise that he must now institute the inquiry that Irish society needs in order to move through and beyond this crisis.

‘‘We are looking for the simplest, most effective mechanism to get to the truth as quickly as possible and that is why we have called on the Church at its highest levels to guarantee us that they will co-operate fully with that inquiry.

‘‘We need to know about a wider accountability and we need to know from the agency which is responsible for the protection of children and young people - the state - exactly what happened.’’

Politicians should make ‘‘frank and public statements’’ on where they stood on the matter, the men said.

Josie and Jim Gahan, whose daughter w as abused by the late Fr Grennan, joined the men at the press conference, highlighting that the scandal went much further than just Fr Fortune.

Mr Mac Gloinn added: ‘‘If this was an American corporation which systematically had a policy of harbouring criminals, of colluding, of hiding evidence and putting pressure on civil authorities I think people would be completely outraged.

‘‘They should be even more outraged that it is the Church that did this.’’

The group today launched a website, www.oneinfour.org, for victims of sexual abuse.