This section is reprinted from The Irish Times, March 1, 2007. Author is Patsy McGarry, Religious Affairs Correspondent. View original link at http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2007/0301/1172185291583.html

Formal hearings in the Commission of Investigation into Clerical Sexual Abuse in the Dublin archdiocese are expected to begin next month. They will not be in public.

To date the commission has had informal interviews with those who responded to its advertisements last May asking people to make contact with it if they had complained about clerical sexual abuse, to either church authorities or any public authorities, between 1975 and 2004, or may have known of such complaints.

The commission has employed statisticians to help it ensure the sample chosen from among the people who responded to its advertisements is as representative as possible. A spokeswoman said the commission was "satisfied absolutely" with the level of co-operation it has been receiving from the Dublin archdiocese.

The commission is chaired by Circuit Court Judge Yvonne Murphy. Its other members include barrister Ita Mangan and solicitor Hugh O'Neill.

It was established last March and was expected to report within 18 months.

Figures released by the Dublin archdiocese last March showed that 102 priests had been accused of child sex abuse in the 66-year period between 1940 and 2006.

Meanwhile, the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is preparing its final report which is expected to be published later this year.

© 2007 The Irish Times