The South Eastern Health Board yesterday defended its handling of sex abuse cases in the Ferns diocese.
It also promised to co-operate fully with the preliminary inquiry being conducted by Mr George Birmingham SC.
It also announced that its childcare manager, Ms Marie Kennedy, has been appointed to liaise between Mr Birmingham and board representatives.
Mr John Magner, the board's acting chief executive, told members at their monthly meeting in Kilkenny that staff had responded in the appropriate way to any notification of abuse by priests in the diocese of Ferns.
"I am satisfied that the board's staff acted immediately, compassionately, legally and to the highest professionals standard at all times," he said. "Both the gardaí and the diocese of Ferns were informed [of cases\]. Staff of the board provided support and follow-up services to the victims and their families and will continue to provide support as it is requested."
Ms Kennedy, he said, would facilitate requests for information from Mr Birmingham's team and maintain contact with staff, past and present, who were involved in the cases being examined.
Mr Birmingham was appointed by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, last week to examine what type of investigation should be conducted into how sexual abuse cases by priests in the Ferns diocese were handled by the Catholic Church, the Garda and the health board.
Mr Magner said that because of the recent publicity surrounding cases of abuse he had arranged "the further co-ordination" of counselling and advice centres provided by the board's psychology departments, Comhar (Adult Counselling Services) and the Wexford Rape Crisis Centre.
A former chairman of the board, Mr Gary O'Halloran, claimed last week that he had raised questions about sex abuse with the board on numerous occasions from the late 1980s but that there had been a "total denial of what was happening".
Mr Magner, in a statement read to the board at the end of yesterday's meeting, did not refer to Mr O'Halloran's comments. The board, he said, responded to every child abuse notification received in accordance with national guidelines.
It did not undertake criminal investigations as this was the sole responsibility of the Garda.
