The diocese of Kilmore is a "model of best practice" in child protection, a review by the Board for the Review of Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church.
The report covered seven allegations received since 1975 up the date of the review in the diocese covering Co Cavan and parts of counties Leitrim, Fermanagh, Meath and Sligo. The reviews also covered some cases of abuse which happened prior to 1975 but where allegations were not made until after that time.
The report found that current practice in the diocese is of "a consistently high standard" and all the allegations were reported to the gardai and the Health Service Executive (or health boards).
Of these one priest had been convicted of an indecently assaulting a young boy and is currently serving a sentence but has been laicised, the report said. OF the seven two priests were still in ministry or retired in the diocese, two were no longer in the priesthood and three priests were deceased. There were no cases of a failure to report and address matters when they came to light, the report found.
Bishop of Kilmore Leo O’Reilly said there was no protection in the cases of the two priests still in ministry which had been examined by the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Health Service Executive.
Not included in the board’s statistics was the case of "notorious" "serial" offender Fr Brendan Smyth. His files were read by the board but were not included in the analysis of cases because it had already commanded considerable public interest. Smyth was convicted of more than 90 counts of sexual abuse and died in prison in 1997.
The board described the response to his case as “inadequate” as it displayed "a disregard for the safety and well-being of vulnerable young people”.
Smyth was moved from ministry initially he was returned some years later “until he was again the focus of new allegations of abuse which eventually led to his conviction and imprisonment,” the report said.
He was not a priest of the diocese but a member of the Norbertines Canons religious order who ministered within the diocese. It notes that none of this can be attributed “in any way” to the present bishop or anyone currently involved in a safeguarding role”
The Smyth case represented “important learning “for all involved in safeguarding children in the Church of the “tragic consequences of failing to recognise the risks posed by those that habitually seek to harm children and young people” the report said.
Bishop O’Reilly “deeply regretted” that Smyth was able to “continue to abuse in his position for so long”. He hoped the victims would take “some measure of hope from the changes that have taken place” he said on Northern Sound radio.
The experience in the diocese had helped to develop practice, the report said. It praised be child protection guidelines in the diocese as a “model of best practice” much of which was due to the personal commitment of Bishop O’Reilly, the report said.
It said there were “no case examples of poor practice” except ones which emerged before the present bishop arrived in 1998, it said.
Bishop O'Reilly said "each allegation represents a person who has suffered". His thoughts were "very much with survivors of abuse"
"I hope the review will give some measure of reassurance to victims, their families and to all parents and families," he said in a statement.