(Irish Times) SEANAD: DAVID CULLINANE (SF) said he was glad the Minister for
Justice had made it clear that there would be absolutely no exemptions
in terms of legislative requirements on the reporting of the abuse of
children or vulnerable adults.
Mr Cullinane had earlier noted that
the Association of Catholic Priests had stated that there would be no
breaking of the confessional seal. It had to be made clear to everyone,
including the main church in this State, that the rights of children and
the laws of the land came first, Mr Cullinane stressed. Priests should
know that they could not use the confessional seal as a reason for not
coming forward with information on abuse.
Minister for Justice
Alan Shatter (FG) said it was possible that if a priest or a bishop was
prosecuted under withholding of information legislation they might claim
entitlement to some form of privilege. However, the legal basis for
such a claim no longer held, as the special position of the Catholic
church had been removed from the Constitution. If such a claim was based
on freedom of religion, the courts might be called on to decide the
issue.
He did not believe that, where a child or a vulnerable
adult had been a victim of abuse, the Irish courts would hold that it
was of benefit to the State that those who knew of the abuse concealed
it.
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