Fr McCarthy and The Irish Times

Complaint

Fr McCarthy complained under Principle 1 of the Code of Practice for Newspapers and Periodicals (Truth and Accuracy) that the statement in an Irish Times editorial “The vast majority of uninvolved priests turned a blind eye” was inaccurate, and was based on a misreading of the Murphy Report, in that the phrase “vast majority,” in the Report referred only to a majority of those priests who were aware of child abuse, and not to a majority of all uninvolved priests. The paper subsequently published a statement in its “Corrections and Clarifications” column quoting the original editorial opinion and stating that “…… This related to those priests who were aware that particular instances of abuse had occurred.”

Decision
Following protracted negotiations with the complainant, the newspaper published an article by him in which he commented on the debate about the Murphy Report in general and made clear his view that what the newspaper had subsequently published had been inadequate, and his regret that it had not been accompanied by an apology. After the publication of this article, he re-activated his original complaint.

What the newspaper published in its “Corrections and Clarifications” column may have lacked clarity and could be fully understood only by reference to the original text of the Murphy Report. Nonetheless, its publication on l6 December, combined with the subsequent offer of a substantial right of reply article by Fr McCarthy, and the acceptance by Fr McCarthy of this offer, is in all the circumstances sufficient remedial action on the part of the newspaper as a response to the complaint under the Code of Practice. No further action is therefore required.

2 March 2010