It seemed incredible in 1994 that the cover-up involving the paedophile activities of Fr Brendan Smyth had been going on for 19 years by the time it brought down the government of Albert Reynolds.

CARDINAL Sean Brady did not respond to requests yesterday to comment on either the publication of chapter 19 of the Murphy report or his failure to report paedophile priest Brendan Smyth to the proper authorities when he became aware of his sexual abuse of children in 1975.

Labour's justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte has called for the resignation of Cardinal Seán Brady.