Phibsborough
Sunday 24 September is Diocesan Safeguarding Day. I wish to take this opportunity to address you on this vital
matter and to thank you for all of the work you have been doing to make the Church in Dublin a safer place for
children.
As we prepare for the World Meeting of Families in Dublin next August, we should recall the words of Pope
Francis: “Families need to know that the Church is making every effort to protect their children. They should also
know that they have every right to turn to the Church with full confidence, for it is a safe and secure home”.
Considerable efforts have been made in the Archdiocese of Dublin to ensure that the Church is a safe and
secure home for children. Last year alone, nearly 1,200 people attended one day safeguarding training sessions
and a further 1,500 attended information sessions. We now have almost 400 parish safeguarding representatives
who are working alongside clerical and lay colleagues to ensure that best safeguarding practice is followed
in each of our 199 parishes. I commend this work and I am grateful to those of you who have accepted this
responsibility.
There have been significant developments over the past 12 months or so. In 2016, the state vetting legislation
came into operation. Up to that point, vetting was a matter of good practice. Now it is become a legal requirement
for those working with children and vulnerable persons. The system for applying for vetting changed and
this placed an extra burden on parishes and, most particularly, on those parish workers and volunteers who are
not familiar or comfortable with computers and with communicating by email. I want to thank you for bearing with
the anxiety and trouble this has caused you. It is important that we remain committed to this vital work.
I ask you also to pray for and remember those who were abused as children and who continue to suffer as a
consequence.
With prayerful good wishes,
Yours sincerely,
+ Diarmuid Martin
Archbishop of Dublin