Abuse survivors ask to meet investigators

Survivors of child abuse in the Catholic Church have asked to meet investigators being sent to Ireland by Pope Benedict XVI to argue their case for better compensation.

Investigators have already met representatives of religious orders in Ireland ahead of a visit to the Vatican by the country's four most senior bishops.

Pope Benedict's decision to fine-comb the Irish church's handling of child abuse follows last year's Ryan Report on residential institutions and the Murphy Report on the Dublin archdiocese.

Among other things, Pope Benedict wants to establish what assistance the Church owes to victims.

The Right to Peace and Right of Place organisations have told a group of bishops in Ireland that they want to meet the investigators.

Today, and on Wednesday in the Vatican, a separate review of abuse in parishes will be prepared when Cardinal Sean Brady, and Archbishops Diarmuid Martin, Dermot Clifford and Michael Neary meet the four investigators assigned to their dioceses.

SIC: RTÉ/IE