Bishops may issue sex abuse statment tomorrow

It is unclear if the Catholic Church is to make a statement tomorrow regarding the establishment of an independent audit of clerical child abuse.

A spokeswoman for the Catholic Communications Office said this afternoon there would be no press conference tomorrow but that a notice would be issued later in the day to all media.

The audit was promised two months ago after the then Bishop of Ferns Dr Brendan Comiskey resigned over his handling of allegations of sexual abuse against Father Brendan Fortune.

A statement on the matter had been expected during the Bishops’ three-day summer conference in Maynooth which concludes tomorrow.

But a spokesman for the Bishops said last night that it was much more likely a statement would be issued by the Catholic Communications Office instead.

The bishops are understood to be negotiating the terms of reference of the audit and the most likeliest candidate to conduct the task.

The audit will compile information on how each diocese has dealt with complaints of clerical child sex abuse.