THE MINISTER FOR Justice Alan Shatter has asked the gardaí to look into allegations that Catholic missionaries in parts of Africa abused children there, allegations which came to light in a television programme last night.
Prime Time Investigates, broadcast on RTÉ One last night, alleged that Catholic missionaries raped and abused young children and teenagers while working in Africa over the past 30 years, with some of the allegations of abuse that is said to have taken place as recently as five years ago.
The executive secretary of the Irish Missionary Union has told TheJournal.ie there are “undoubtedly” more cases of abuse out there and this afternoon Alan Shatter has said:
We have a solemn duty to do all that is within our power to ensure that perpetrators of this predatory abuse of children are brought to justice wherever it takes place.
He has asked the superintendent of the Garda Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Investigation Unit to examine the RTÉ programme and ascertain whether any criminal behaviour disclosed can be pursued in this jurisdiction.
He said that under Sexual Offences (Jurisdiction) Act, in certain circumstances a person can be tried in this country for sexual offences against a child which are committed abroad.
Shatter also said he had asked gardaí to liaise with the Health Service Executive (HSE) regarding any child protection issues that may arise from the presence in Ireland of a number of people identified in last night’s programme.
He added that while the nature of such investigations outside this jurisdiction were difficult, “we are doing everything open to us to counteract this evil.”
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