THE NORTH:THE NORTHERN Executive is almost certain to set up an inquiry into institutional and clerical child abuse, according to Stormont sources.
Stormont Ministers are primed to establish an inquiry to examine the extent of child abuse in Northern Ireland following the disclosures about sex abuse by Catholic clergy on both sides of the Border, the sources said last night.
Minister of Health Michael McGimpsey has prepared for the Executive a range of options on how the issue of child abuse might be addressed.
The Executive, which met yesterday, did not make a formal decision on the matter but sources said an inquiry appeared inevitable.
“Ultimately it’s difficult to see anything other than a significant inquiry being held,” said one senior source.
He said there was an acknowledgement by the Executive of the “need to act with expediency on this issue”.
Ministers are now to plan how best to press ahead with an inquiry and to detail how their departments might assist such a process.
It is understood that the inquiry will not be restricted to allegations of abuse by Catholic clergy but will be more widely focused to address general claims of institutional and clerical abuse.
The Assembly’s health committee also called for an inquiry yesterday but said it must be limited to three to five years and should cost no more than £40 million (€44.6 million).