Before I comment on the case I wish to raise I want to make a declaration of interest. I have no interest of a financial or other nature in this case but my law firm has on one occasion in recent years represented a young man who alleged he was sexually abused by a priest and secured damages as a result, and the firm currently represents another young man who is making similar allegations. Neither of those cases relates in any way to the matter I raise in the House this evening.
This matter arises from an article in The Sunday Tribune which is being followed up by the daily newspapers. It refers to a Limerick priest who apparently settled a case for a sum allegedly between £20,000 and £30,000 upon an allegation being made that he sexually abused a 12-year-old altar boy. I read the reports in The Sunday Tribune with a mixture of great sadness and great anger. The sadness arises from discovering yet again that we have another such case and another victim. I feel a great sadness for the vast majority of priests who are very good people doing very substantial and important work within their communities throughout the country. My anger derives from the fact that following these instances becoming known a Garda investigation of some description was conducted, no prosecution was brought and the priest was simply moved into other parishes. So we read in the newspaper. We are told in the context of the newspaper reports he received some degree of counselling. From my experience in this area mistakes have been made in the past by the church, who having discovered that a priest was engaged in such conduct, arranged that counselling be provided and then allowed him to return to work in another community. I dearly hope we will not discover that in this particular instance there have been further incidents involving this individual. I have no reason to believe to date that there have been.
A number of serious questions arises and the health board and the Garda authorities are involved. Will the Minister for Health tell us the nature of the contacts the relevant health board had with the church authorities when it learned of these allegations? Will the Minister for Health tell us the nature of the health board's contact with the Garda authorities? Will the Minister tell us about the nature of the investigation conducted by the Garda authorities and the date a report was made to the Director of Public Prosecutions? Will the Minister explain why no prosecution was brought? This is the third such case to come to light in the past 12 months where damages have been paid but no prosecution brought. In the context of the cases we have learned about, I think I am correct in saying it is the third such case where, following allegations of such nature having been made some years before damages were paid, we have discovered that a priest has been moved to another diocese.
Will the Minister say if the health board has taken any action in such cases to ensure that matters are monitored in the new parish to which the priest is assigned so as to ensure other children are not at risk from such behaviour? The health board has a specific duty to protect the welfare of children. The Department of Health shares that duty, as do all Members of this House.
Child sexual abuse is the most horrific, traumatic experience that any child can have and results in many victims of such abuse suffering deep hurt and anguish and psychological damage which they take with them into adulthood. It is not good enough that damages are paid, matters are covered up and people are shifted around the country as if they are participating in a game of musical chairs without our being assured that other children are not at risk.
It is my understanding that the Director of Public Prosecutions, for whatever reason, decided in this case, as in the other two, that no prosecution should proceed. I ask the Minister to talk to his colleague, the Minister for Justice, to request the Garda Commissioner that further Garda inquiries be conducted into this particular case with a view to a new report being furnished to the Director of Public Prosecutions so that he can reconsider the original decision. I am very sad to note that it was only as a result of the publication of The Sunday Tribune on Sunday that the priest concerned was withdrawn from parish work. It should not require matters of this nature to be disclosed by the press for the appropriate authorities, be they church or State, to take the necessary action to ensure that children are not placed at risk.
