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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'I did not help cover-up' - Brady | 'I did not help cover-up' - Brady |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Cardinal Sean Brady, the Catholic primate of all-Ireland, has said he did not help to cover up investigations into sexual abuse in the 1970s. | |
| He was speaking after it emerged he was present at meetings where two teenagers signed oaths of secrecy. | He was speaking after it emerged he was present at meetings where two teenagers signed oaths of secrecy. |
| The meetings were in response to complaints of abuse by Fr Brendan Smyth, who was jailed in the 1990s for serial child abuse. | The meetings were in response to complaints of abuse by Fr Brendan Smyth, who was jailed in the 1990s for serial child abuse. |
| On Sunday, Cardinal Brady told reporters he would not be resigning. | On Sunday, Cardinal Brady told reporters he would not be resigning. |
| He was asked why he did not report the allegations to the civil authorities. | He was asked why he did not report the allegations to the civil authorities. |
| "Even today the appropriate person to do that is the designated person - I was not that person," he said. | "Even today the appropriate person to do that is the designated person - I was not that person," he said. |
| "But I insist again I did act, and act effectively, in that inquiry to produce the grounds for removing Fr Smyth from ministry and specifically it was underlined that he was not to hear confessions and that was very important. | "But I insist again I did act, and act effectively, in that inquiry to produce the grounds for removing Fr Smyth from ministry and specifically it was underlined that he was not to hear confessions and that was very important. |
| "The responsibility for his behaviour as a priest rested with his religious superior in Kilnacrott." | "The responsibility for his behaviour as a priest rested with his religious superior in Kilnacrott." |
| Abuse complaints | Abuse complaints |
| The complaints of abuse by the two teenagers were investigated by Cardinal Brady in his capacity as secretary to the bishop of Kilmore in 1975. | The complaints of abuse by the two teenagers were investigated by Cardinal Brady in his capacity as secretary to the bishop of Kilmore in 1975. |
| Cardinal Brady said he had been following his bishop's orders and there were no guidelines for dealing with such investigations at that time. | Cardinal Brady said he had been following his bishop's orders and there were no guidelines for dealing with such investigations at that time. |
| Fr Smyth was a notorious child abuser. | Fr Smyth was a notorious child abuser. |
| He is believed to have abused at least 20 children over a 40 year period and was convicted of more than 90 offences. | He is believed to have abused at least 20 children over a 40 year period and was convicted of more than 90 offences. |
| For a period, he was based in Kilnacrott Abbey, County Cavan, which is in the diocese of Kilmore, and was buried there when he died in 1997. | For a period, he was based in Kilnacrott Abbey, County Cavan, which is in the diocese of Kilmore, and was buried there when he died in 1997. |
| Extradition | Extradition |
| Delays in processing an extradition warrant for Fr Smyth from Northern Ireland in 1994 caused the collapse of the Fianna Fail/Labour coalition government in the Irish Republic. | Delays in processing an extradition warrant for Fr Smyth from Northern Ireland in 1994 caused the collapse of the Fianna Fail/Labour coalition government in the Irish Republic. |
| A campaigner for victims of clerical child abuse in Ireland, Colm O'Gorman, said Cardinal Brady should resign following the admission that he had represented the church at the meetings. | A campaigner for victims of clerical child abuse in Ireland, Colm O'Gorman, said Cardinal Brady should resign following the admission that he had represented the church at the meetings. |
| "He believed that this out of control paedophile had abused children and he did nothing to report this crime to the police either then, or it would appear, at any point over the next 20 years during which Smyth continued to rape and abuse in parishes across the world with near impunity. | "He believed that this out of control paedophile had abused children and he did nothing to report this crime to the police either then, or it would appear, at any point over the next 20 years during which Smyth continued to rape and abuse in parishes across the world with near impunity. |
| "Instead he took part in a cover-up of Smyth's crimes and swore his child victims to secrecy," he said. | "Instead he took part in a cover-up of Smyth's crimes and swore his child victims to secrecy," he said. |
| "Cardinal Sean Brady is now deeply personally implicated in the gross failures of the Catholic Church in the management of Smyth and his rampant sexual offending against children. | "Cardinal Sean Brady is now deeply personally implicated in the gross failures of the Catholic Church in the management of Smyth and his rampant sexual offending against children. |
| "And on that basis and given his statement of December 2009 he must resign." | "And on that basis and given his statement of December 2009 he must resign." |