Church transgressions - Sorry state of affairs

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Archbishop Dermot Clifford, the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Cloyne, apologised to the Revenue Commissioners for the "unacceptable" comments made by Fr Tadhg O’Donovan, who reportedly categorised Revenue officials as inconsiderate and inhumane, and added that they were "the biggest showers of bastards on the planet".

Fr O’Donovan was fined last year in relation to tax avoidance in Cork District Court, after he agreed a €213,000 settlement with the Revenue Commissioners. The money related to undisclosed rental income from at least 11 different properties over a five-year period.

This week the Revenue Commissioners published a list of 76 tax defaulters in which Fr O’Donovan made a settlement of €433,000. It included the sum paid last year. Later yesterday Fr O’Donovan issued an apology for his offensive remarks, which he said were made in the heat of the moment. He added that he did not realise that they would be published.

It seems ironic that the Archbishop of Cashel had moved so quickly to issue his apology on behalf of the diocese for the offending comments. He did not even wait to contact Fr O’Donovan.

In the midst of so many damning reports about the behaviour of members of the hierarchy in relation to the abuse of defenceless children over decades, hopefully the archbishop’s prompt apology to the Revenue Commissioners is not reflective of confused priorities but of a welcome change in attitude.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Thursday, December 03, 2009