Cardinal may face public grilling on abuse scandals

SENIOR clerics such as Cardinal Desmond Connell could be questioned in public about their responses to abuse complaints against priests in their charge under plans to be brought to Cabinet within a month.

The proposals, drawn up by Justice Minister

Michael McDowell, are part of the fast-tracking of public inquiries under an alternative to tribunals which will investigate child sexual abuse by priests in the Archdiocese of Dublin.