A priest in the diocese of Down and Connor who is the subject of a continuing police investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse is still in ministry, it was confirmed last night.
A spokesman for the diocese said last night that the Bishop of Down and Connor, Dr Patrick Walsh, had decided that the priest should remain in ministry on foot of advice drawn up by an independent child protection panel.
The diocese said that the matter would be reviewed by both the bishop and the independent panel if and when other information became available.
The allegations made against the priest date back 20 years. The priest involved has denied the allegations.
In its statement last night, the Diocese of Down and Connor said: "There is one priest currently in ministry in respect of whom there is an ongoing police investigation. The allegations relate to over 20 years ago. The priest denies the allegations.
"All the facts known at this time have been considered by the diocese's independent child protection panel. The panel consists of a childcare expert with particular expertise in child sexual abuse, a consultant psychiatrist, a senior educationalist and a GP.
"Having considered all the material they advised the bishop that in all the circumstances this priest could remain in ministry.
"The bishop, having considered all the facts, that advice and the child protection issues raised, decided that that priest could remain in ministry but the matter will be reviewed by the panel and the bishop if and when other information becomes available," the statement added.
The diocese of Down and Connor also said last night that two other priests against whom allegations had been made in the past were also currently in ministry.
Both of these had stepped down when the allegations were made, pending an investigation.
The spokesman said that the allegations had also been referred to the police in Northern Ireland. He said that following the police investigation there had been no prosecution.
The spokesman said that both priests had been allowed to return to ministry after an assessment.
A total of 15 priests serving in the diocese of Down and Connor, which includes the city of Belfast, had been subject to accusations of child abuse dating back to the 1940s, the spokesman said.
He said that the policy of the diocese was that in all cases where there was a "semblance of truth" to allegations made, the priest concerned either volunteered to stand down or was stood down.
The spokesman said that in all cases where allegations of abuse were made against a priest, these were handed on to a diocesan advisory body and to the police.
The Bishop of Cork and Ross, Dr John Buckley, speaking in the context of "the events described in the Ferns Report", said yesterday that it was his approach, as bishop, "to respond urgently to complaints of this nature when they come to my attention and to do all I can to help the people concerned".
The Bishop of Kerry, Dr Bill Murphy, said he would be asking priests in the 53 parishes of the diocese to read out a short personal letter from him to the congregations at all Masses this weekend.
The letter would outline exactly what measures had been put in place to ensure child abuse by clerics "as far as humanly possible can't happen again", Dr Murphy said.
