Vatican ‘fails to confront abuse culture’

THE extraordinary war of words between the Government and Vatican intensified last night as ministers insisted Rome had given comfort to those trying to cover up the Cloyne child-abuse scandal.

After Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin demanded the Taoiseach be more specific in his assertion that the Vatican has deliberately frustrated abuse investigations, Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton insisted that the Church hierarchy in Rome was still failing to confront its part in the culture of abuse.

“The reports in Cloyne indicated that there was a continuing failing right up until recently, that is what the Taoiseach was referring to,” Mr Bruton told RTÉ.