 In November 2009, Bishop Hegarty expressed concern after 17 priests in the Derry diocese were found to have child sexual abuse allegations filed against them.In 2010 the Belfast Telegraph and other media outlets reported that Bishop Hegarty was a named defendant in a civil legal action concerning the alleged abuse of a young girl by a priest of the Derry diocese.Bishop Hegarty made a statement to the press asserting that no diocesan funds had been used to compensate the victim.