Catholic Church speaks out both sides of its mouth in relation to child protection

Family Enrichment Centre that is run by the Catholic Church and has been funded by the tax payer to the tune of millions of Euro through a myriad of Government Departments and agencies wants Priests and others who abuse children to serve up to 40 years in Prison.




Under the Freedom of Information Act I have legally obtained a letter dated 31/1/01 and sent from the Family Enrichment Centre, Ceol na Coille, Drumboe Ave, Stranorlar, Diocese of Raphoe, County Donegal (Tel: 074-31245) to the then Minister for Justice, Mr John O’ Donoghue TD, asking that Priests and anyone else who sexually abuses children should serve at least one year for every year that they have been an abuser, for most Priests, Christian Brothers and other religious abusers this could mean up to 40 years in jail, which is the equivalent sentence for murdering a member of An Garda Siochana.



This letter sent to the then Minister on headed note paper leaves the Catholic Church speaking out both sides of its mouth in relation to those who sexually abuse children. Cardinal Sean Brady has been forced to admit publicly that he was present when two children were forced to sign letters of secrecy in relation to their rape at the hands of a Catholic Priest, yet here we have an organisation that is run by the Catholic Church asking the then Minister to impose sentences of up to 40 years on Priests and lay people who have committed similar offences.



It is difficult to understand how a ‘Family Enrichment Centre’ could allow itself to enter the realm of calling for punitive legislation, when all experts agree that prison has little or no impact on those who sexually abuse children, unless there is provision of rehabilitative programmes and a seamless transition from prison to community for such offenders, all of which is sadly lacking in Ireland in the 21st Century. It is also interesting that it was within the Diocese of Raphoe that some of the Catholic Church’s worst offenders originated from and in fact where many of them now reside.



This disclosure under the FOI Act suggests to this writer at least that it is time that we the tax payer started to look very closely at where our tax money is going, why are we funding places such as the ‘Family Enrichment Centre’ when its correspondence with the then Minister proves that the Catholic Church is incapable of providing any standard of child protection as it continues to speak out both sides of its mouth in relation to sexual criminality.





By theirishobserver.blogspot.com





FN: This article has been made available to all media outlets and politicians – the information contained here may be used free of charge or obligation, this information is provided in the public interest and I hope journalists and politicians will use it accordingly.