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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Brady defiant over sex 'cover-up' | Brady defiant over sex 'cover-up' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Catholic church's most senior cleric in Ireland has rejected calls to resign over claims he helped cover up sex abuse investigations in the 1970s. | The Catholic church's most senior cleric in Ireland has rejected calls to resign over claims he helped cover up sex abuse investigations in the 1970s. |
| Cardinal Sean Brady, primate of all-Ireland, admitted he was present at meetings where two abused teenagers were made to sign vows of silence. | Cardinal Sean Brady, primate of all-Ireland, admitted he was present at meetings where two abused teenagers were made to sign vows of silence. |
| The meetings followed complaints of abuse against Fr Brendan Smyth, jailed in the 1990s for serial child abuse. | The meetings followed complaints of abuse against Fr Brendan Smyth, jailed in the 1990s for serial child abuse. |
| "Frankly I don't believe that this is a resigning matter," the cardinal said. | "Frankly I don't believe that this is a resigning matter," the cardinal said. |
| Cardinal Brady said he had been following church orders and that there were no guidelines for him to follow. | Cardinal Brady said he had been following church orders and that there were no guidelines for him to follow. |
| 'Cover-up' | 'Cover-up' |
| Fr Smyth was a notorious child sex offender who was believed to have abused at least 20 children over a 40 year period in the north and south of Ireland. | Fr Smyth was a notorious child sex offender who was believed to have abused at least 20 children over a 40 year period in the north and south of Ireland. |
| He was eventually convicted and jailed for more than 90 offences. | He was eventually convicted and jailed for more than 90 offences. |
| However campaigners believe the cleric could have abused hundreds of children as he was moved around parishes, diocese and countries by the church. | |
| They have accused Cardinal Brady of reckless endangerment and demanded his resignation. | They have accused Cardinal Brady of reckless endangerment and demanded his resignation. |
| I insist again I did act, and act effectively, in that inquiry to produce the grounds for removing Fr Smyth from ministry Cardinal Sean Brady | I insist again I did act, and act effectively, in that inquiry to produce the grounds for removing Fr Smyth from ministry Cardinal Sean Brady |
| 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 where children were forced to take a vow of silence about their abuse. | 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 where children were forced to take a vow of silence about their abuse. |
| Mr O'Gorman said: "He believed that this out of control paedophile [Smyth] 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. | Mr O'Gorman said: "He believed that this out of control paedophile [Smyth] 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. And on that basis and given his statement of December 2009 he must resign." | "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." |
| 'Acted effectively' | 'Acted effectively' |
| 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. |
| The senior churchman defended his role in the 1975 investigation, stating his actions were part of a process that removed the shamed cleric's licence to act as a priest. | The senior churchman defended his role in the 1975 investigation, stating his actions were part of a process that removed the shamed cleric's licence to act as a priest. |
| "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." |