Allegations of abuse on Caldey Island

Part of 3. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:26 pm on 29 November 2017.

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Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies Labour 3:26, 29 November 2017

Thank you for those additional comments. Can I say that, in light of the recently emerging allegations and fresh allegations, Dyfed-Powys Police are currently engaged in ongoing investigations into these allegations? As such, I hope you'll understand, Darren, that it's not appropriate for me to comment further at this moment, because of the risk of jeopardising the police investigations and inquiries.

But Members will also note that the children's commissioner has written to Caldey Island abbey themselves to seek assurances, but also that she has said that it is, at this moment, too early to call for an inquiry, not least because of the detail that is still emerging and also because there is a police investigation currently live, under way. It is worth pointing out, however, that in addition to the massively transformed safeguarding environment for children and adults within Wales there is also a national Catholic safeguarding advice service. And as I mentioned, the children's commissioner has written directly to the abbey on Caldey Island seeking assurances that they are following the Catholic Church's national safeguarding policy—their own safeguarding policies as well—and their procedures on child protection.

Darren is absolutely right in saying that we need answers to this. We need to know how this happened, but also—it's often an overused phrase—to learn lessons about how we can avoid this and minimise the risk of it happening again. We have done so much in Wales in improving our safeguarding procedures, but if there are lessons to be learnt from this, both for the Catholic Church and also in terms of wider safeguarding, we will ensure that we learn those lessons. And in that respect, I fully understand the calls for the answers to the questions that have been put. But at this moment, there is a police investigation under way.