Minister for Children Brian Lenihan has rejected a claim that he singled out the Catholic Church for scrutiny where child protection is concerned. He also denied a comment that "Ireland is increasingly a cold country for Catholics".
He was responding last night to Redemptorist priest Fr Gerard Moloney who, in the June issue of Reality magazine, said that by appointing Dr Helen Buckley to review the church's Our Children Our Church child protection guidelines, Mr Lenihan was "singling out the Catholic Church alone for this review". The move also prompted his description of Ireland as "increasingly a cold country for Catholics".
Dr Buckley, of TCD's social studies department, was on the inquiry team which prepared the Ferns report.
Speaking to The Irish Times, Mr Lenihan said the Catholic bishops were patrons of the vast majority of primary schools in the State and that he had a duty to ensure their child protection guidelines were compatible with the State's Children First guidelines. He said a similar exercise would take place in relation to all other faith bodies involved in running schools.
He said he made these matters clear at a meeting with Catholic primate Archbishop Seán Brady, Bishop Éamonn Walsh and Bishop Colm O'Reilly last year.
