Timeline How events unfolded in Cloyne

The Irish Times - Thursday, July 14, 2011

February 1987 Pope John Paul announces Msgr John Magee (50) is to be ordained as bishop of Cloyne.

January 1996 Child Sexual Abuse: Framework for a Church Response is launched by the Irish Bishops Conference and Conference of Religious of Ireland.

February 1998 : Then taoiseach Bertie Ahern announces that mandatory reporting of child sex abuse will be introduced within lifetime of then government. (To date, this has still not happened.)

September 2001 : Retired judge Gillian Hussey appointed by church hierarchy to chair its Child Protection Committee. Audit of all dioceses announced.

February 2008 National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church chief executive Ian Elliott is informed by officials in the Department of Health and Children of a complaint about child protection practices in the diocese of Cloyne. A man alleged he had been abused when a young boy by a priest, Fr A, and that the matter had not been properly dealt with by the diocese and Bishop Magee.

April 2008 : The National Board for Safeguarding Children is contacted by Faoiseamh, the child protection helpline for the Conference of the Religious in Ireland, who had been contacted by a woman who alleged she had been sexually assaulted by another priest in Cloyne, Fr B.

July 2009 Mr Elliott completes his report.

December, 2008 Bishop Magee publishes the report, in which Mr Elliott criticises child protection practices in the diocese of Cloyne as inadequate and dangerous, thereby exposing vulnerable young people to further harm. Bishop Magee apologises to victims and accepts the report’s recommendations.

December 30th, 2008 Fr Bill Bermingham, then designated person for safeguarding children in Cloyne, is contacted by a man named Joseph who asks to meet him and meeting is scheduled.

January 2nd, 2009 The meeting, attended by Joseph’s father, takes place and Joseph alleges Bishop Magee embraced him and kissed his forehead when they met to discuss the fact that he was considering the priesthood. There were other meetings, with further embraces and kisses on the forehead.

January 3rd, 2009 Fr Bermingham informs Bishop Magee of Joseph’s allegation. He also informs Archbishop of Cashel Dermot Clifford. Bishop Magee is shocked at the interpretation of the meetings with Joseph but admits embracing him and kissing his forehead.

January 7th, 2009: Archbishop Clifford informs the Catholic primate, Cardinal Seán Brady, by phone about these allegations against Bishop Magee. That same day then minister for children Barry Andrews announces the remit of the Dublin Archdiocese Commission of Investigation (the Murphy Commission) to include an inquiry into child protection practices in Cloyne diocese.

January 13th, 2009: Cardinal Brady explicitly rejects calls for Bishop Magee to resign.

February 4th, 2009 : Bishop Magee requests the appointment of an apostolic administrator to Cloyne. This follows a meeting with papal nuncio Archbishop Leanza where it appears he was asked to stand down.

February 28th, 2009: The Vatican appoints Archbishop Clifford as apostolic administrator to Cloyne diocese.

March 14th, 2009: The HSE and Garda are notified about Joseph’s allegations against Bishop Magee.

March 21st, 2009 Archbishop Clifford and Fr Bermingham met Joseph. He declines a suggestion that he meet Bishop Magee.

March 2009 The Commission of Investigation under the chairmanship of Judge Yvonne Murphy begins examining complaints of clerical abuse made between January 1st, 1996, and February 1st, 2009, against priests of the diocese of Cloyne.

March 25th, 2010 : Bishop Magee announces he has tendered his resignation as bishop to Pope Benedict XVI, and it has been accepted.

June 22nd, 2010 Deadline for investigation by commission is extended until end of October by the government.

November 12th, 2010 Fr Brendan Wrixon, with an address at Newmarket, Co Cork, pleads guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to gross indecency with a 16-year-old boy and is given an 18-month suspended sentence by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin.

December 2010 Judge Yvonne Murphy and her team hand over the completed report to then minister for justice Dermot Ahern. March 2011 Minister for Justice Alan Shatter applies to the High Court for directions arising from concern that publication of the full report might prejudice criminal proceedings being brought against a priest of the diocese.

April 8th, 2011 High Court orders that the publication of one chapter relating to the priest in question should be delayed so as not to prejudice his trial but that the remainder of the report can be published.

July 12th, 2011 Cabinet meeting approves report for publication.

July 13th, 2011 Report is published.