The Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Church and the State's handling of nearly 30 years of child abuse investigations will have 18 months to file its report, the Department of Justice has said.
The inquiry, under the leadership of Circuit Court judge Yvonne Murphy, was established yesterday by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell.
The terms of reference published by the Minister did not specifically state that the report would be ready in 18 months, but the Department is to make this clear today in the State's official gazette, Iris Oifigiúil.
Titled the Dublin Archdiocese Commission of Investigation, it will hold preliminary inquiries into all of the allegations between 1975 and 2004 and then select a representative sample for closer inspection.
It will probe whether the Catholic Church and State authorities had "enough knowledge of, or strong and clear suspicion of, or reasonable concern regarding sexual abuse involving Catholic clergy" to act.
Once the commission comes across specific allegations against a named individual, it will then investigate all other allegations made against that individual, whether they were part of the original sample or not.
The commission will also investigate whether all Catholic dioceses are following the 1996 church child sexual abuse guidelines as well as the recommendations of the inquiry into the Diocese of Ferns.
Judge Murphy will be assisted by barrister Ita Mangan and solicitor Hugh O'Neill as members. The commission will have a €4.5 million budget to cover salaries and legal costs.
The Commission of Investigations Act was brought through the Oireachtas to cut the cost of public inquiries following mounting concern about the cost of the Mahon and other investigations. Under the Act, commissions can hold much of their work in private, while witnesses called before them can be severely punished if they fail to co-operate.
Fines on summary conviction of up to €3,000 or sentencing to a term of imprisonment of up to 12 months can be imposed - or, on indictment, fines of up to €300,000 or five years' imprisonment.
A corporate body such as the Catholic Church may be prosecuted for offences, while the commission also has powers to go to the High Court to seek orders for discovery if co-operation is not forthcoming.
The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, yesterday renewed his pledge that Judge Murphy and the Commission of Investigation would have his full co-operation and that of the archdiocese.
