Church Leaders must volunteer more funds for abuse victims
Green Party MEP candidate for Dublin Senator Deirdre de Burca today said the Ryan Commission report on the systematic abuse of children was the most distressing and disconcerting thing she had ever read.
“Generations of children – inevitably from the poorest sections of society – were failed by state and church across three generations. The findings of neglect and endemic physical and sexual abuse are so horrific that I have no words to describe my reaction,” Senator de Burca said. “We must also face the harsh reality that we failed as a society and as a people.”
Senator de Burca stressed that the priority now was implementing the report recommendations as quickly and efficiently as possible. “This inevitably raises funding questions and again brings the controversial 2002 Government deal, indemnifying the Church in return for €128m in cash and property, back into focus.
”I’m not a lawyer and I cannot say whether or not this deal can be re-visited. But, before we get ourselves into another legal tangle at a time like this, I see a much simpler way forward,” Senator de Burca said.
“I would ask the Church leaders to reflect as human beings and Christian leaders upon these appalling revelations. They must consider whether they can offer a more open-handed and open-hearted response. To be blunt, I believe they can and should come up with more funds to help provide redress and reparation,” Senator de Burca concluded.
