The Government now seems increasingly likely to appoint a commissioner with statutory powers to investigate the handling of clerical child sex-abuse cases in the Archdiocese of Dublin.
Last night the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, indicated to The Irish Times that this was an option he was considering following his viewing - twice - of a video of the RTÉ Prime Time "Cardinal Secrets" programme.
He said he would be discussing with Cabinet colleagues during the week what sort of inquiry might be most appropriate.
Earlier yesterday, Mr Colm O'Gorman of the One In Four group, set up to help child sex-abuse victims, called for the appointment of a commissioner with "statutory powers similar to those used in company law matters" to investigate the archdiocese. He also called for "an urgent meeting" with Mr McDowell to discuss a State inquiry into "rape and abuse perpetrated by priests" of the Dublin archdiocese. Mr O'Gorman renewed demands for "an immediate Garda inquiry" into the actions of Cardinal Connell and the bishops of the archdiocese. It was "a matter of urgency" that gardaí seize all files held by the archdiocese, he said.
At a Mass in the Pro-Cathedral on Saturday - after which Cardinal Connell confessed his personal failure where victims were concerned - some in the congregation were heard to comment, "it's too late".
The Cardinal said: "We failed them. I failed them, and there are no excuses for this failure." At a Mass in Monkstown, Co Dublin, yesterday a priest was applauded when he called for a Garda investigation into abuse in the archdiocese. There was a similar reaction in Sallins, Co Kildare, when a priest there said the full facts about clerical child sex-abuse should be laid before the people.
In Dublin, former taoisigh Dr Garret FitzGerald and Mr John Bruton called for a Garda investigation into how clerical child sex-abuse had been handled. A similar call was made by Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny; Labour Party leader Mr Ruairí Quinn; Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams, and European Parliament President Mr Pat Cox, who said he was speaking in a personal capacity.
