Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 13 Oct 1994

Vol. 445 No. 8

Adjournment Debate. - Chaplaincy Appointment.

Ms Keogh

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this extremely important matter. The recent and shocking revelations that a convicted paedophile was employed as chaplain to a Tralee hospital with unlimited 24 hour access to a childrens' ward necessitates the immediate introduction of extensive background checks on all those looking after children in residential centres and other areas. Setting up the often mooted national register of child abusers is now, more than ever, a matter of urgency. I urge the Minister to use the full powers of his office to act immediately and expeditiously to reassure the public that such a situation will not be tolerated again.

Surely the introduction of procedures by which the health boards must be fully briefed and involved in the decision-making process on all appointments and now, in particular, pastoral appointments, must be deemed a matter for immediate action? What action will the Minister take to set up an advice service for the parents of those children with whom this chaplain may have come in contact? Who is to help them as they attempt to confront an issue which is repugnant to society? Who is to counsel and reassure those vulnerable children? Will there be consultation between the parents, health board and the Church authorities? Will the Minister demand and facilitate this?

There is a suggestion in the newspapers today that the parents of these children should approach them and ask them what happened. We are talking about the years August 1990 to September 1993. What are the parents to say to their children? Who will advise or help them? We all know that it is not exactly a routine question any parent has to ask their child.

I am particularly concerned about the role of the Church in this affair. According to newspaper reports this morning among their number were people aware of the priest's criminal convictions before his appointment as chaplain to the Tralee hospital yet no one in any position of authority either in the hospital or the health board was informed. Why? The Church could not deal with the reality. At the cost of the health and welfare of children they preferred to ignore the situation and hope it would go away. Until the Church proves that it is capable of facing up to the real problems of sexual abuse, highlighted by this case, the Minister for Health must immediately act to ensure that they no longer have the right to unilaterally appoint staff to posts where they will come in contact with vulnerable young people in this way.

The public are informed and articulate. At the recent Progressive Democrats conference in Cork, I called on the Minister for Education to say who is looking after the children. I did not think at that time I would need to call so soon on the Minister for Health to ask him not to shirk his responsibilities to those who do not yet have a voice in society, our vulnerable children.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue and allowing me an opportunity to comment on it. I will being by commenting on the specific issue of the conviction for sexual offences of a former locum chaplain at Tralee General Hospital. This priest was not employed as a chaplain to the children's ward alone but to the hospital as a whole. It is deeply disturbing that a person in a position of trust, as Father Smyth was, could have been appointed in circumstances where a long history of allegations of child abuse appears to have been deliberately withheld from the health board concerned.

The appointment of hospital chaplains is a function of the bishop of the diocese involved. When the question of appointing a locum chaplain at Tralee General Hospital arose I understand written references were sought by the permanent chaplain from the candidate's superior, in this instance, his abbot. I understand that these confirmed his suitability and that there was no reference to his previous history. The management of the Southern Health Board has already expressed its grave concern that despite its best efforts it was misled in this manner. I can assure the House that I fully share the board's extreme disquiet, to put it at its mildest, at this action by Fr. Smyth's superiors.

On discovering that Fr. Smyth had acted as chaplain in one of its hospitals on a number of occasions since 1990 the board immediately advised the Garda authorities of this fact. It also alerted the director of community care and put in place arrangements to allow immediate access to social work services for any family concerned that their child might have been in contact with Fr. Smyth. In addition, I understand the board has entered into discussions with the diocesan authorities for Cork and Kerry so as to review the system of appointing chaplains and locum chaplains to its hospitals.

With regard to the vetting of staff working in children's residential centres, responsibility for selecting suitable persons for employment in these centres rests with the management involved. In view of recent allegations of child sexual abuse in certain residential child care centres, I am taking steps to ensure greater vigilance in the selection of staff in each of these centres. My Department is actively pursuing ways and means of improving the selection procedures for all staff applications for posts in children's residential centres.

Earlier this year I established a working group which is preparing draft standards for children's residential centres. The working group includes representatives of my Department, the health boards, the Resident Managers' Association, the Conference of Religious of Ireland and the Irish Association of Care Workers. As part of its remit the working group is currently reviewing the guidelines on recruitment of child care workers which were first issued by my Department in 1979. I am confident that this review will be completed by the end of the year and will lead to improvements in the recruitment and selection procedures for staff applicants in residential child care centres.

Notwithstanding this review, I am concerned to ensure that immediate measures are put in place to provide for the safety and protection of children in care. In this context, I am pleased to be able to inform the Deputy that my Department recently reached agreement with the Department of Justice and the Garda Síochána on the introduction of a formal system of Garda clearance for applicants for posts in children's residential centres. My Department is now making arrangements to have these Garda clearance procedures put in place in conjunction with the management and staff interests concerned.

While this system will be an important additional part of the selection procedures, I am conscious that it will not of itself be a guarantee that unsuitable persons are prevented from working in residential child care centres. I urge all concerned with the recruitment of staff to be constantly vigilant in all aspects of the selection procedures to ensure the safety and protection of children in their care.