Bishops reaffirm ‘wholehearted support’ for child protection watchdog, ‘financial and otherwise’

The Catholic bishops have reaffirmed “their full commitment to the continuing implementation and development of best practice in relation to safeguarding children”.

At the conclusion of their spring meeting in Maynooth yesterday, they said “this includes our wholehearted support, financial and otherwise, for the work of the National Board for Safeguarding Children, the implementation of the national board’s standards and guidance document at a local level, and the ongoing audit and review process of all dioceses and congregations.”

They also welcomed the recent appointment of Teresa Devlin as new chief executive of the board.

A statement from the meeting made no reference to the dispute involving former board chief executive Ian Elliott and Bishop Noel Treanor of Down and Connor over the review of that diocese, published last December.

At the meeting the bishops discussed the recent survey of the Synod of Bishops on the family, circulated before Christmas in advance of that synod in Rome next October.