THE LONG-AWAITED report into clerical sex abuse in the Cork diocese of Cloyne will be published this afternoon.
The Murphy Commission, headed by judge Yvonne Murphy, has examined complaints against 19 priests over a 13-year period between 1996 and 2009 and submitted its report to the government before Christmas.
The delay in publication has been as a result of a disagreement over what parts of it can be published with one chapter believed to be relating to a priest whose trial is due to take place shortly.
The High Court has asked counsel for the State to agree to the deletion of excerpts which may prejudice this priest’s trial.
The report is expected to run to some 400 pages and victims of the abuse will be given time to read the report before its publication at 3pm.
The Murphy Commission has examined a representative sample of complaints and allegations of child sexual abuse made against priests who were working under Bishop John Magee who resigned last year following a previous Health Service Executive report which criticised his failure to handle the allegations.
The HSE has said it will offer a confidential free phone service for people who have suffered abuse anywhere at the hands of the clergy to coincide with the publication of the report.
The freephone number is 1800 742800 and can be contacted from 3pm to midnight today (13 July) and from 8am to 12 midnight daily.
The HSE also says it will work in collaboration other counselling and advocacy agencies including Harbour Counselling Service, Towards Healing, the Cork Sexual Violence Centre, the National Helpline for Victims of Rape and Sexual Abuse, Connect, One in Four, and the Samaritans, to ensure that people who make contact with the helpdesk can get the support they need.
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