EAMON Walsh, the bishop of Ferns, was questioned last month by the inquiry into sexual abuse after it discovered certain files had not been forwarded by the diocese.

The files contained allegations against five priests that could not be investigated by the team because they were handed over just weeks before the report’s publication.

Walsh and his legal advisers attended an emergency plenary hearing convened by the inquiry on September 2.

The inquiry has concluded that the omission of the documents was the result of a “regrettable error” on the part of the diocese.

Walsh ordered an audit of diocesan files last July following a complaint by a woman who said she had been abused by two priests in the diocese.

The woman, who was abused in the early 1970s, originally complained to the diocese in 1974. The priest was removed by bishop Donal Herlihy for two years, but returned to the diocese where he was appointed to teaching and chaplaincy roles in primary schools. The priest, identified as “Iota” in the report, was in active ministry in Brazil until July of this year but has now been removed following a review of his personnel file by Walsh. The review of Iota’s file prompted a full-scale audit of all diocesan files, uncovering the new allegations.

The late disclosure of the Wexford files has alarmed victims’ groups who say the church is incapable of reviewing its own affairs.

“The most benign explanation for this ‘error’ is that the church was extremely incompetent in reviewing its own files,” said Colm O’Gorman, director of One in Four, a support group for abuse victims who assisted inquiry witnesses.

“We are now very concerned about the level of co-operation offered by the diocese, because all files weren’t handed over.

“We are particulary concerned that a priest, against whom serious complaints were raised in 1974 and recorded on diocesan files, was allowed to serve in active ministry overseas until this year.”

The willingness of the church to make available documents to police and relevant authorities has been a long-running issue.

Last week Michael McDowell, the minister for justice, ordered an audit of dioceses throughout the state to ensure abuse allegations were being properly handled. McDowell said the government would not take assurances from bishops “at face value” but would check the situation independently.

Brian Lenihan, the minister for children, has written to the Irish Bishops’ Conference and to individual bishops to ask if they are implementing child protection guidelines.

Victims of clerical sex abuse pursuing compensation cases through the courts are now making access to church documents a central part of their claims.

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