Justice Minister Alan Shatter expresses "sorrow and profound apology" to any child in Cloyne failed by the State.

ARCHBISHOP Dermot Clifford has issued an apology to a young man who was sexually abused by a priest who was supposed to be hearing his confession.

THE priest who launched a foul-mouthed attack on the Revenue Commissioners after his €433,475 tax settlement has been told to take some time off.

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”.

A senior Catholic Bishop has asked his congregation to pray for victims of clerical sex abuse as he stepped down to help a state inquiry probing allegations against some of his priests.

The Pope has appointed the Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Dermot Clifford, as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Cloyne in Cork.

A prominent sex abuse campaigner broke down in tears today after the Irish Catholic Church gave an unreserved apology for his rape during the 1980s.

OLIVER MURPHY was supposed to accompany his father, Martin, on last Sunday's ill-fated trip aboard the Pisces fishing boat that sank off the Wexford coast, but the vessel could only take nine passengers so he stayed ashore.

Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Ferns, Bishop Eamon Walsh, said last night he believed the Catholic Church should apologise for the sexual abuse of children carried out by Father Sean Fortune and other catholic priests.