Day 1
Bill No 1 Seeks to Make Changes to Clergy Disciplinary Process
A Bill which seeks to amend aspects of the clergy disciplinary process outlined in Chapter VIII of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland was presented to members of General Synod this afternoon (Thursday May 7).
Proposed by Canon Malcolm Kingston (Hon Sec) and seconded by Canon Nicola Halford (Cashel Ferns and Ossory), Bill No 1 is one of three arising from the work of the Working Group to Review Clergy Tenure.
The Working Group has identified a number of sections within the Chapter VIII disciplinary process that require amendment in order to make the process clearer, more fit for purpose, and to function in a more expedient manner.
Proposing the Bill, Canon Kingston said that whilst the Church’s Disciplinary Process for clergy and bishops, as outlined in Chapter VIII Part 4 of the Constitution, is not required often, it is an important process that should operate as expediently as possible. He said their consultations revealed that generally the disciplinary process works quite well but suggestions for improvement were received and have resulted in Bill No 1.
Apart from practical improvement Bill No 1 facilitates the input of a Case Management Committee which has been created under the new Child Safeguarding Policy which is being launched at Synod.
The Bill includes timelines for the local Diocesan Pastoral Resolution stage, and for the stages that follow the receipt of a complaint by the Complaints Administrator. Mediation is encouraged during the early local Pastoral Resolution stage, the proposer said adding that it is hoped this will be a helpful response to difficulties in parish or diocesan settings. It is suggested that this Pastoral and Mediation stage is bypassed in instances of a safeguarding complaint associated with a recommendation of the Case Management Committee.
The Bill seeks to give the Complaints Committee the right to require that a member of the clergy or a bishop undergo an independent medical assessment if they claim there are unable to cooperate with the disciplinary process on medical grounds.
Canon Kingston explained that the disciplinary offences in section 25 of Chapter VIII have been organised into groups with the addition of two new offences under the safeguarding section.
The Bill was formally seconded by Canon Halford.
There were a number of amendments to the Bill which were accepted by the proposer and seconder.
The Bill passed its first and second phases and goes forward to Saturday for its third and final reading.