Bishop criticises Monageer report

THE AUXILIARY Bishop of Dublin and former apostolic administrator of Ferns has criticised the limited disclosure of the report into the deaths of the Dunne family in Monageer, Co Wexford.
Adrian (29) and Ciara Dunne (24) were found dead, along with their children Leanne (5) and Shania (3), at their home in Monageer in April 2007.

The Dunnes came to the attention of gardaí and social workers shortly before their deaths after the parents made funeral arrangements for the family.

Reacting to comments by Minister for Children Barry Andrews that recommendations in the Monageer report were blacked out for legal reasons, as the inquiry was non-statutory, Bishop Eamonn Walsh said legal niceties should be left aside, adding “it would be best for everyone if everything was shown”. He added: “The Ferns report was non-statutory and I would be very upset if they hadn’t shown all the conclusions in that.”

Bishop Walsh was speaking following the launch of Colm O’Gorman’s book Beyond Belief, which details the clerical abuse he suffered as a boy. Bishop Walsh said: “He’s done the Catholic Church a service by coming forward.”