The secretary general of the Conference of Religious of Ireland (CORI), Sister Elizabeth Maxwell, has said she believes the Hussey Commission will be allowed name perpetrators in its final report.
The commission, chaired by Judge Gillian Hussey, was set up by the Irish Bishops, the Irish Missionary Union, and CORI last June to conduct an audit of how clerical child sex abuse has been dealt with down the decades in every diocese, in every religious institution and missionary order on the island of Ireland.
It was stipulated at the commission launch that its reports would "not identify or render identifiable any person who has complained of or who has been the subject of a complaint of child sexual abuse". This is now likely to change, according to Sister Maxwell.
Speaking to The Irish Times, she also said she had "reservations about the capacity of a Government inquiry, whether statutory or non-statutory, to examine fully how the Catholic Church authorities in Ireland dealt with allegations of child sexual abuse by priests and religious because of the Government's limited jurisdiction covering 26 counties".
She added: "On the other hand, the commission under the chairmanship of Judge Gillian Hussey, because it has been invited by the three sponsoring bodies of the Irish Bishops' Conference, the Irish Missionary Union and the Conference of Religious of Ireland to carry out such an examination, will be in the unique position of being able to extend its investigations into dioceses and religious congregations beyond the border.
"A fully comprehensive report will be possible from Judge Gillian Hussey's commission," she said.
Further advantages of the Hussey Commission were, she said, "the public profile of Judge Gillian Hussey herself and her acknowledged integrity; the independence of her commission members, all of whom have been chosen by herself, not on the basis of their affiliation to the Catholic Church, but because of their acknowledged professionalism; and the multi-disciplinary character of the commission she has put together."
Sister Maxwell also noted "the independence of the offices [which are located in Dublin] acquired in which to carry on the work of the commission".
She said there was also the fact that preliminary work has already been undertaken by the team and that an interim report is due in February 2003; the Church bodies, not the taxpayer, will bear the costs; and "the acknowledged positive experience of Mr George Bermingham, SC, in the diocese of Ferns augers well for the fullest possible co-operation from dioceses and congregations as she undertakes the task".
Judge Hussey appointed seven members to the commission early last month. They include former Fine Gael Senator Mr Maurice Manning, Mr Michael Cush SC, retired Garda detective Mr John McGroarty, forensic psychologist Dr Ian O'Donnell, clinical psychologist Dr Rosaleen McElvaney, Northern Ireland social worker Mr Robert Bunting and child care manager Ms Suzanne Phelan. The commission's final report is due in February 2004.
