The Galway Diocesan Office has announced that “a period of careful consideration and consultation” has begun in relation to the interment of Bishop Eamon Casey’s remains in the crypt beneath Galway Cathedral.

This comes following the broadcasting of the RTÉ documentary ‘Bishop Casey’s Secrets’, which examined the Catholic Church’s handling of allegations made against him.

The documentary showed that the former Bishop of Galway was removed from public ministry in 2007 by the Vatican after ‘allegations’ which included complaints of child sexual abuse from his niece Patricia Donovan, established by RTÉ.

Eamon Casey was aged 89 when he died in 2017, and was interred in a crypt in Galway Cathedral.

The Galway Diocesan Office have released the following statement this afternoon:

“Bishop Michael Duignan, in his statement last Tuesday, July 23, relating to the life and legacy of Bishop Eamon Casey, clearly expressed his commitment to “working with anybody affected, to help bring truth, healing and peace to such terribly painful situations.”

“In this context, the interment of the remains of Bishop Casey in the crypt beneath Galway Cathedral is a very sensitive issue that deeply affects people in different ways, and which has different facets.

“The interment of Bishop Casey in the Cathedral crypt now requires a period of careful consideration and consultation, which has already begun.

“Time and space are required to adequately and appropriately bring this undertaking to completion.

“We will not be making any further public comment until we are in a position to provide an update.”