Pope Recalls Nuncio Over Kenny Abuse Speech

The Vatican Press Office has confirmed the Pope has recalled its Ambassador to Ireland following accusations by the Government that it had undermined child protection efforts by the Catholic hierarchy.

Their Papal Nuncio, Giuseppe Leanza has been brought back from Dublin for consultations in what is a highly unusual step follows last week's unprecedented rebuke of the Holy See by the Government in the wake of the Cloyne Report, which accused Church authorities of concealing the sexual abuse of children by priests as recently as 2009.

At the weekend, the Irish Republic's Taoiseach claimed that he received thousands of messages of support from around the world following his blistering attack on the Vatican last week over child abuse.

He used a Dáil speech to accuse the Church of putting its reputation ahead of child rape victims.

He told the MacGill Summer School in Co Donegal this weekend that the messages showed how people felt.

Mr Kenny said he was "astounded" at the number of clergy who contacted him after his speech on the Cloyne Report.

He told the Irish parliament that the report into how allegations of sex abuse by priests in Cork had been covered up showed change was urgently needed.

Enda Kenny said this reflected the way people felt about the Catholic Church's role on clerical child abuse.

"The rape and torture of children were downplayed or 'managed' to uphold instead the primacy of the institution, its power, standing and 'reputation'," the Taoiseach said last Wednesday.

"The fact that I have had thousands of messages from around the world speaks for itself about the impact and the way people feel," he said, also noting, "the numbers of members of the clergy who have been in touch in the last few days to say it is about time somebody spoke out about these matters in a situation like you are, has astounded me."

NI Probes Abuse

In Northern Ireland, Stormont Junior Ministers Martina Anderson and Jonathan Bell have commenced a series of meetings with those affected by historical institutional abuse.

Following an extensive consultation the NI Executive tasked the Junior Ministers to gather more information over the summer months to help refine the nature of an inquiry.

Junior Minister Anderson said: "The issues raised by historical institutional abuse are very complex and highly emotive. It is imperative that we take on board the views of victims and survivors to ensure that their needs are addressed.

"We are determined to get this process right; it will not be an easy task as the range of needs is wide and varied, but we will ensure that the voices of those affected are heard," said the Sinn Fein politician.

(BMcC/GK)