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cases should be handled and to formulate guidelines in that regard. The

Chairman of the Advisory Committee, Bishop Laurence Forristal, explained

the brief of that Committee in the following way: "Our immediate brief is to

provide co-ordinated, orderly advice to bishops and religious superiors on how to

deal with allegations of child sexual abuse and also to provide ongoing advice.

What many people perhaps don't realise is that each diocese is an independent

unit, and forms its own policies. The idea behind the committee was to avail of the

advice of experts and to formulate guidelines that would allow a more uniform

approach" (The Irish Times, 15 October 1994, p. 3).

While these guidelines were being developed, the Conference engaged in a

process of consultation with the Congregation for the Clergy regarding the

content of the document so as to ensure its effective application. In the light

of these consultations, various amendments were made to the text. It was the

Conference's right to consult and, given the Holy See's responsibility for the

laws of the Church which apply universally, it was certainly appropriate for

the Congregation to offer its advice and considered opinion on the content of

the document.

The definitive draft of the Framework Document was communicated by

fax to the Congregation on 23 December 1995 and this was followed by a

faxed letter addressed to the then Prefect of the Congregation, Cardinal José

T. Sánchez, which was dated 4 January 1996 and signed by Cardinal Cahal

Daly, then President of the Irish Episcopal Conference, and by Archbishop

Desmond Connell, then Vice-President of the Conference. According to that

letter, "The text is not an official publication either of the Episcopal Conference

or of the Conference of Religious. It is a framework, offered to the Bishops

and Religious Superiors as a code of recommended practice to facilitate them

in dealing with cases which may arise within their respective jurisdictions"

and "The present text is by no means a final word from the Bishops and

Religious Superiors on this issue."

The letter also stated that since the publication date had been set for

16 January 1996, further amendments could be incorporated only before

7 January; otherwise a complete reprint would be necessary. Given that

deadline, the Congregation was unable to examine the document and

communicate to the Bishops its considered assessment of the revised text

prior to the publication of the Framework Document.