THE audit into child sex abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Raphoe will say there were horrifying sex abuse complaints against 14 priest since 1975 with dozens of alleged victims – but it has already been slammed by victims themselves.
The audit did not interview ANY victims and doesn’t include details on four priests accused of sex abuse in the late 60s and early 70s, sources told donegaldaily.com.
The Diocese is paying a Dublin public relations agency thousands of euro on how to handle the fall-out from the report.
Bishop Philip Boyce will go on a PR drive this morning, choosing to do a local radio interview 90 MINUTES BEFORE a scheduled press conference.
However that may give victims the opportunity to call the Shaun Doherty Show on Highland Radio to question the Bishop about the contents of the report.
One national newspaper had claimed in August that up to 20 priests had abused hundreds of children since 1971.
The audit however will only include information given to it by the Church.
Martin Gallagher, a victim of paedophile priest Father Eugene Greene, said that while 26 people did come forward in that case “there were probably a hundred more, each one a victim.
“This was never about numbers for me. This was always about giving the victims a voice and we haven’t been given one in this report.”
Another victim of a different priest who contacted donegaldaily.com last night told us: “As far as I am concerned the real picture will only emerge when there is a proper State inquiry.
“There were at least 20 priests at this in the past 4o to 50 years. The Church cannot count the victims based on those who came forward; there were hundreds of victims as far as I am concerned. I know six in my case who didn’t come forward and one of them killed himself.”
He added: “It’s a whitewash by the Church and people will see through it.”
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