Cardinal refuses to quit despite pressure

The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland is ignoring growing calls for his resignation following failure to contact parents, gardaí, or child protection services after he was warned that five children were being abused by the notorious paedophile, Fr Brendan Smyth.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said Cardinal Seán Brady should “reflect” on the matter, while the chief executive of the leading children’s charity called for the cardinal to resign.

Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay made his comments in a radio interview in which he revealed that he had been abused as a child by a member of a religious order.