Taoiseach defends Vatican failure to answer inquiry

BRIAN COWEN last night defended the Vatican’s failure to respond to requests from the Murphy inquiry for information on paedophile priests guilty of child abuse.

The Taoiseach insisted the Vatican had acted “in good faith” in the matter and gone through diplomatic avenues rather than deal directly with the probe.

Mr Cowen insisted Rome’s effective snub of Judge Yvonne Murphy’s inquiry was in keeping with international law concerning diplomatic channels.