Victims speak

CHILD rape victims have said they could have been saved from a paedophile priest if the head of the Catholic Church had taken action when he learned of the attacks 35 years ago.

Cardinal Seán Brady has again dismissed calls for his resignation and defended his role in a 1975 meeting where two children abused by sex offender Fr Brendan Smyth were asked to take a vow of silence. Following the meeting clergy failed to contact the Garda.

The cardinal said: “I played my part, the part I had 35 years ago, as a priest recording secretary to the best of my ability. We are now judging the behaviour of 35 years ago by the standards we set today and I don’t think that is fair and it’s not applied to other sectors of society.”