Church set to act on new child protection policy
THE Catholic archdiocese of Dublin is to begin recruiting up to 200 "representatives" to implement a new national child protection policy in every parish.
The policy has yet to be approved by the Vatican, but Church leaders are keen to implement the policy as soon as possible. Dublin and other dioceses want to ensure that it can be put in place as soon as approval is given.
Church leaders are known to be anxious that Rome approves the policy before publication of the report of the inquiry into clerical sex abuse in the diocese of Ferns, which is thought likely to be published some time in next month.
The new national child protection policy, which was finally agreed by the bishops and religious orders in June, will radically overhaul their existing child protection policy.
The sections of the new policy relating to the rights of priests under canon, or Church law need to be approved by Rome before they can be introduced.
However, the Church is already preparing to implement the policy by training personnel who will be involved in overseeing the policy at local level.
To that end, the Church's Child Protection Office in Maynooth has already begun to train "trainers".
Meanwhile, the bishops completed their latest quarterly meeting in Maynooth last night.
David Quinn
Religious Affairs Correspondent
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1477295&issue_id=13061
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