Incoming head of safeguarding at Presbyterian Church resigns

The person due to become head of safeguarding at the Presbyterian Church in Ireland has resigned from another position within the church.

Dermot Parsons was the Council for Social Witness secretary, but was due to take up the safeguarding role.

The resignation was announced at a meeting of around 400 ministers and elders in Belfast on Wednesday.

The gathering was given an update on the response to the safeguarding crisis which engulfed the church in November last year.

The announcement was made by the Very Rev Dr David Bruce, convenor of the church's general council.

"Effective from the end of January past, Mr Dermot Parsons who was the Council for Social Witness secretary and was stepping in to the role of head of safeguarding, has resigned his position," Bruce said.

"Active steps are being taken to recruit a successor."

Also at Wednesday's meeting in central Belfast, it was confirmed that work is under way to examine the church's use of non-disclosure agreements, which prevent former members of staff speaking about their time at the church.

The church's deputy clerk, Rev Peter Gamble, told the meeting that a "task group" had been appointed and "is already beginning its work on the examination of the use of non-disclosure agreements, as part of settlement arrangements for employees leaving the organisation".

It is not clear how many such agreements were made in recent years.

There have some calls for them to be declared null and void.

Wednesday's meeting lasted just over three and a half hours, including an hour-long lunch break.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is looking into safeguarding concerns at the church.

Their investigation followed a church admission of "serious and significant failings in the central safeguarding functions of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland from the period 2009 to 2022".

Churches have been told not to destroy any information that the PSNI may require as part of their investigation into the safeguarding failures.

An email has been sent to congregations outlining the need to "preserve" documentation.

At Wednesday's meeting, which was called a 'special general assembly', it was agreed to change a senior position within the church.

The role of general secretary and clerk of the General Assembly will be split into two jobs. A new position, director of operations, will be created along with the existing clerk role.

The church is updating its safeguarding policies and procedures.

Rev Gamble told the meeting: "The bottom line is, if we want to do safeguarding well – and we do – it will cost money."

As well as the police investigation, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland has launched an inquiry into the church.

Gribben was, until recently, the head of the church - known as moderator.

He stepped down at the end of November saying that although he had not been directly responsible for the delivery of safeguarding, some of the failings happened when he held senior positions within the church.

The next planned meeting of the church's general assembly will be in June, with four days set aside for the gathering.