MORE than words could ever tell, the raw statistics of horrific child abuse by priests in six Catholic dioceses underscore the past record of cover-up within the church whose culture of denial, silence and hypocrisy in the face of damning allegations has seriously undermined its authority in the eyes of the Irish people.

Bishop Edward Daly has said he was shocked by the news his successor the Bishop of Derry Dr Seamus Hegarty is to step down for health reasons at the age of 71.

A HEALTH board has ordered an independent review into the handling of a case involving one of its employees who was accused of sexually abusing children.