Presbyterian Church of Ireland ‘ashamed’ over safeguarding failures – moderator

By Rebecca Black, Press Association

The moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland has apologised to those who have been hurt or harmed by the church’s safeguarding failings.

At a special general assembly of the church, Right Reverend Dr Richard Murray said: “We are deeply ashamed and sorry.”

Hundreds of Presbyterian ministers and elders have gathered at the assembly to agree new measures on safeguarding.

It comes after the church announced that significant failings had been found in central safeguarding functions.

Former Presbyterian moderator Rev Trevor Gribben stood down earlier this year after a review found “serious and significant failings” in the functions from 2009 to 2022.

Rev Murray resumed the office of moderator and called a special General Assembly, a rare event for the church, with just a handful called in recent decades.

It emerged that failures included situations where the church did not respond when people who had suffered harm sought help and instances where offenders returned to worship in church but were “inadequately monitored”.

Earlier this week, the Charity Commission announced it had opened a statutory inquiry, while a police investigation remains active.

On Thursday, up to 900 ministers and elders from the 540 congregations across the island of Ireland travelled to Belfast to take part in prayers and reflection at the headquarters of the church at Assembly Buildings.

In the afternoon, they are expected to debate and vote to agree new measures relating to safeguarding and other related matters in proceedings open to the public and media.

Proposals include establishing a new Safeguarding Department and potentially separating the roles of clerk of the General Assembly and general secretary of the church.

The acting clerk of the General Assembly, Rev David Allen, said the church family comes together as they find themselves “in a place of shame and humility as a result of our central safeguarding failings”.

“The report of our General Council that will be discussed by the General Assembly, along with its resolutions to be voted on, states that our failings over a 13-year period ‘has resulted in some people being harmed by actions and inactions in the name of the denomination, and some people being placed at unnecessary risk’,” he said.

“It also states that ‘this is a shameful position for part of the Church of Jesus Christ to be in’.”

He added: “As Dr Murray said in his letter to ministers announcing the General Assembly, it is important that we ‘come together as a family before God to grieve and lament for our failings. At the same time, we also want to be particularly mindful of those who have been harmed as a result of our central failings’.”

He said the proposals to be brought are aimed to “elevate significantly the position of safeguarding” within the church.

“This includes a proposal to establish a new Safeguarding Department, along with the effective resourcing of safeguarding centrally, and at an appropriate time, a full, independent external review of safeguarding in PCI,” he said.

“This will be in addition to the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland’s section 12 audit process, which is currently being conducted by an independent external assessor. The General Assembly will also be asked to establish a task group that will look at governance, culture and integrity.

“The role of clerk of the General Assembly and general secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and the possible separation of these roles, will be considered by Members of Assembly, as will the role of the incoming moderator for 2026-2027 and the format of next year’s General Assembly.

“An update on recent engagement with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland will also form part of our proceedings.”