O’Donnell attacks Church-State ties

Progressive Democrat TD Liz O’Donnell launched an extraordinary attack on the Catholic Church yesterday.

She said the abuses uncovered in the Ferns report must result in an end to the Church’s “special relationship” with the State.

In a criticism of the Church’s “systematic maladministration and dereliction of duty to protect children,” the PD chief whip also urged an end to the Church’s overall control of most schools.