The Catholic bishops’ child-protection body is advising priests not to inform state authorities about incidents of child abuse they hear about in the confession box, in apparent contravention of the law. Guidelines published by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church exempts priests from passing on admissions of child abuse made in the confessional, it has emerged.

The Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 does not allow for confessional privilege. When the law was going through the Oireachtas, Alan Shatter, as the justice minister, said mandatory reporting would apply “regardless of any internal rules of any religious grouping”.

Priests are “mandated” persons, obliged to report abuse concerns under the Children First Act.

The church