The Ferns inquiry into how allegations of clerical child sex abuse were handled by church and State authorities in that diocese began oral hearings in Dublin yesterday.
A spokeswoman for the inquiry, which is headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Frank Murphy, said yesterday that the advertised September 12th date for notification by victims who wished to take part in its oral hearings was not a deadline but an administrative device.
Anyone who approached the inquiry as long as it was in session would be heard, she said.
Victims of abuse began giving accounts of their experiences in private at Frederick House in South Frederick Street.
The inquiry spokeswoman said that at this stage it was difficult to say how many such victims would be heard at the inquiry.
The two other members of the inquiry panel are Dr Helen Buckley, a senior social studies lecturer at Trinity College Dublin; and Dr Laraine Joyce, deputy director of the Office for Health Management.
The inquiry was set up by the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, following an investigation last year by Mr George Bermingham SC into what would be the best form of inquiry to investigate the handling of clerical child sex-abuse allegations in Ferns.
That investigation was set up by Mr Martin following the resignation of Bishop Brendan Comiskey in April last year.
Mr Bermingham spoke to victims and held discussions with Catholic Church authorities in Ferns, the South Eastern Health Board and the Garda Síochána. He also examined other claims related to the diocese, including allegations against the former president of St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Mgr Micheál Ledwith, a former priest of the diocese.
His report has been made available to the Ferns inquiry, which is expected to bring in an interim report next March.
