Victims of historic child abuse in the North should receive State-backed compensation payments of up to £100,000 (€115,000), an inquiry has recommended.

Victims of paedophile priest Father Brendan Smyth are to take legal action against the Gardaí.

Clerics involved in investigating child sex abuse were bound to secrecy so the Catholic church’s “good name” could be protected, a former primate of Ireland has claimed.