Only when full details are out 'will all victims get closure'
SURVIVORS of child abuse from the Dublin archdiocese have described their disappointment that the long-awaited report will not be published in its entirety.
However, there was some relief at the High Court ruling which gave the release of the report the green light -- even though references to one particular person will be omitted.
A number of survivors of abuse and those representing victims yesterday listened to Judge Paul Gilligan rule the report could be published with a specified part, Chapter 19, taken out due to the possibility of prejudicing court proceedings.
Marie Collins, a victim of abuse, said it is "disappointing" for all of the victims who gave evidence that the full report will not be released.
Pattern
"My worry would be that the (Dublin Archdiocese) Commission was investigating how the diocese handled abuse cases and the system that was involved," she said.
"A pattern might be shown across all the cases, and if you take a section out it might effect the clarity.
"It would have been so much better if we could have had the whole report come out in full and have closure for everybody."
Maeve Lewis, the director of the sexual abuse charity One in Four, said that there will be huge relief at the release of the report after such a lengthy period.
And the first man to go public about child sexual abuse, Andrew Madden, said the full effect of withdrawing references in the report will not become clear until it is released.
- Shane Hickey
Irish Independent
