Catholic leader in waiting untainted by abuse

“A clean pair of hands” is how the retired bishop of Derry, Dr Edward Daly, summed up Monsignor Eamon Martin, the future head of the Catholic Church in Ireland — a reference to the fact that the young prelate isn’t tainted by the abuse scandals and is a valued director of the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland.

However, some priests fear he is too conservative and that he “will never do anything to rock the boat with Rome”.

According to Bishop Daly, Mgr Martin is “highly intelligent, knowledgeable, articulate, and an excellent communicator”.