Dr Dan Daly, the executive vice president for youth care at Boys Town, Nebraska, says he has a connection with the Irish children who pass through as “I’m Irish”. “I know the Irish system,” he continues, “we have done some training [of personnel] in Ireland.”

The health watchdog has called for a national strategy to overcome the problem of placing vulnerable children in care homes that do not meet their needs.

Fr Brian D’Arcy has told of the pain he’s been living with because of his censure by the Vatican.