Brady's position 'untenable', says canon lawyer

A prominent canon lawyer has said that he believes Cardinal Sean Brady's position as Primate of all Ireland is untenable.

It follows allegations in a BBC documentary that information on victims of Fr Brendan Smyth was given to a Church investigation in 1975 but was not passed on to victims' families or law enforcement authorities.

Cardinal Brady insists he was just a notetaker in the inquiry, and had no authority over Fr Smyth.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has urged him to "reflect" on the documentary.

Fr Tom Doyle, a renowned canon lawyer, also featured in the programme.

"Whether he was the note-taker, whatever he was doing he was there," he said.

he was a priest, he was part of this situation, and he should have risen above the constraint of obeying whatever the bishop says, to say: 'This is horrendous, we have to report this to the police, we have to let the childrens' parents know'.

"But he didn't do that."