Referral of Dublin Archdiocese Report to the High Court

On 21 July last the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Dermot Ahern, T.D. received a report from the Commission of Investigation into Child Sexual Abuse dealing with the Dublin Archdiocese. The Minister immediately referred the report to the Attorney General's Office for advice on how best to proceed.

The law under which the Commission was established provides that, if the Minister considers that the publication of a report from a commission might prejudice any criminal proceedings that are pending or in progress, the Minister must apply to the High Court for directions concerning publication of the report. If, after hearing the application, the High Court considers that the publication might prejudice any criminal proceedings, it may direct that the report or a specified part of it be not published for a specific period or until the court otherwise directs.

The Attorney General's Office, following consultation with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, has advised the Minister that, on the information available, he should form the view that the publication of the report as it stands might prejudice some current criminal proceedings and that before publication he should bring an application to the High Court for directions regarding publication. In the light of this advice, the Minister has today initiated the appropriate legal proceedings before the High Court seeking such directions.

Minister Ahern said: "When the report was published I indicated that I was anxious that the matters dealt with in the report would be put in the public domain as quickly as possible but that I was concerned that nothing should be done which would harm the prospects of the perpetrators of these horrific acts of depravity against children being brought to the justice they deserve. The legal advice available to me as to how I must proceed is clear and the necessary steps are now being taken with all possible speed."

31 July 2009