A spokesman for Dublin's Catholic archdiocese has denied a report that Cardinal Desmond Connell declined to take part in a planned Prime Time programme dealing with clerical child sex abuse cases in the archdiocese. The programme is due to be broadcast later this month.
The spokesman said the cardinal's office was "still in negotiations with RTÉ". The report, in the current issue of the Irish Catholic, said Cardinal Connell was invited to take part in the programme "but declined, citing lack of control over the final edited programme". A spokesman for the archdiocese said the content of the report was "not from us".
In a statement issued last night in response to press queries, RTÉ said: "Prime Time is currently carrying out an extensive investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Dublin. As part of this investigation we have asked Cardinal Connell to detail to us what information the archdiocese had about these allegations and what action it took against those alleged to have committed the abuse."
It continued: "We have given the archdiocese details of every case that we are investigating. We have offered the cardinal an opportunity to do an interview as part of the programme or to come in to the Prime Time studio, view the programme and do a live interview on his own afterwards. We understand that the Irish Catholic newspaper today indicated that the cardinal had declined. We have yet to officially hear this from the archdiocese and are still very hopeful that the cardinal will participate in the programme. We are still awaiting his response."
A spokeswoman for RTÉ said last night that Prime Time had first invited Cardinal Connell to take part in the programme on August 30th last. In a reply on September 11th he requested more information on its content and what was expected of him. Prime Time replied on the same day. Earlier this week a further message was sent to the cardinal on the matter, to which the programme had received no response by last night.
The archdiocese spokesman also confirmed last night that a letter from Cardinal Connell, dealing with the clerical child sex abuse controversy,would be read at all Masses in the archdiocese on Saturday evening/Sunday next.
Meanwhile the RTÉ spokeswoman strongly rejected criticisms that programmes such as that planned by Prime Time were a waste of public money at a time when the Bishops' Commission on Child Abuse was carrying out an island-wide audit on the handling of clerical child sex abuse complaints by church authorities.
"News and current affairs are a critical part of RTÉ's remit," she said. Output in news and current affairs was "a core part of what we do." She "would totally refute any allegations that this programme is a waste of resources."
