The Child and Vulnerable Persons Safeguarding Policy and Procedures of the Dioceses of Clonfert, and of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora have been developed in collaboration with the six dioceses of the Western Province.
They comply with the requirements of the Children First Act 2015 and are derived from the Church’s national safeguarding framework A Safe and Welcoming Church: Safeguarding Children Policy and Standards for the Catholic Church in Ireland (2024), issued by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI).
The safeguarding of vulnerable adults is guided by the document Safeguarding Adults at Risk of Abuse: Policy and Standards for the Catholic Church in Ireland (2019), also published by the NBSCCCI. This framework provides clear standards for preventing harm, responding to concerns, and promoting the dignity, rights, and wellbeing of adults who may be at risk.
All Church personnel – including clergy, religious, employees, and volunteers – share a duty to create and maintain environments where children, young people, and adults at risk are respected, supported, and safe from abuse. Safeguarding is a core expression of the Church’s mission and a sign of its care for every person made in the image of God.
Further information and guidance are available on the NBSCCCI website: www.safeguarding.ie.
