Letter: Institutions like the Church of Ireland need to be transparent and accountable

Dr James Hardy's letter (‘Pursuing sexual abuse from the 1970s, but dropping all charges relating to terrorism,’ September 19) discussed the British government's legacy legislation and non-accountability, in law, for what occurred during the Troubles.

He makes a good point by contrasting it with failure by the Church of Ireland to account for transferring, without explanation, Canon WG Neely from Mount Merrion in Belfast to Kilcooley in Tipperary in 1976.

That was due to credible allegations of child abuse. In Tipperary Neely continued to interact with children, for instance presiding at Sunday School. In 1984 he was transferred to Keady, Co Armagh. He became a Canon of St Patrick's Cathedral Dublin in 1997. Neely recast himself as an academic expert by founding the Church of Ireland Historical Society (COIHS).

Like Troubles victims and the British government, victims of WG Neely appear to be, at best, a Church of Ireland irritant. They were forgotten and ignored in 1976. Legal action by victims is used now as an excuse to say nothing.

An absence of transparency is corrosive, a culture that has spread to the COIHS.

After a BBC news report late last year, the COIHS deleted references to the ‘founder’ on its website. It did more, by re renaming 'WG Neely Prize' winners as recipients of a 'COIHS Prize', that did not exist at the time. No condemnation of child abuse, criticism of the Church of Ireland, or sympathy for Neely's victims appeared.

The old Troubles adage, 'Whatever you say, say nothing', appears to be a guiding principle. Letters to the COIHS on the point are ignored.

I asked the Church of Ireland to what extent transferring clergy from one to another parish, against whom allegations of abuse were made, constituted policy. I received no reply.

News Letter columnist Ian Ellis, formerly Editor of the Church of Ireland Gazette, has been treated surprisingly similarly. Canon Ellis asked to meet the Representative Church Body to discuss bishops' expenses in annual accounts. After initially agreeing to meet, the RCB then created a disingenuous pretext for refusing to do so.

An absence of transparency and accountability is not good for institutions, irrespective of how much good an institution thinks it derives from such practices.

Dr Niall Meehan, Journalism and Media Faculty, Griffith College, Dublin