A TOTAL of 85 priests are said to have abused children across all the dioceses in Ireland between 1975 and the present– and the Bishop of Raphoe, Philip Boyce has apologised for “poor judgements” in managing priests accused of “horrific acts of abuse”.

Yet bizarrely, the same bishop is said in this report to have recently PROMOTED a pervy priest who was barred from an Irish shopping centre after he was caught spying on people in a men’s toilet.



The audits show that real progress has been made in putting in place child protection measures in the six dioceses.

Fr Patrick McGarvey, 43, was appointed by Boyce as parish priest of Fanad, Co Donegal. The elevation took place at a special Mass at St Mary’s in Fanavolty last month.McGarvey was caught by undercover police at the Foyleside shopping centre in Derry in August 2004 watching people go to the public toilets there.Police officers had carried out an investigation after complaints from members of the public.The priest was charged with indecency. In June 2005 he pleaded guilty and was given a two-year conditional discharge.Bishop Boyce was back in the news yesterday when he apologised for abuse carried out between 1975 until the present.The allegations against the priests are contained in six reports conducted by the Church’s National Board for Safeguarding Children.Maeve Lewis, of the abuse victims’ group One in Four, is quoted by the BBC as saying:

But she expressed concern:

Regarding the number of priests against whom allegations have been made who are still in ministry.

Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland Programme Director of Amnesty International, said:

What we can see today is barely a glimpse into the horror of abuse suffered by children in parishes in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Clerical abuse survivors in Northern Ireland have been in touch with Amnesty and have told us they wish to see a proper, independent public inquiry into clerical child abuse in this jurisdiction.

Hat tip: Agent Cormac and BarrieJohn