Cardinal Seán Brady appeared to overestimate the power the Catholic Church has over the sovereign lawmaking of this Republic when he told reporters in Knock over the weekend that “our job is to convince the electorate first of all, and the legislators”.

The Catholic bishops have expressed continued dismay at the proposals made by the expert group on abortion, warning three of the proposals involve direct abortion which the hierarchy say is “morally wrong”.

The minister for Social Protection is the latest in a line of politicians who have questioned Cardinal Seán Brady’s role at the top of the Catholic Church in Ireland.

THE future of Cardinal Seán Brady as head of the Irish Catholic Church is in doubt amid mounting calls for his resignation after allegations that he was involved in a cover-up of abuse by notorious paedophile priest Fr Brendan Smyth.