Former archbishop denies deal allegations

Cleric suing RTÉ for defamation over ‘paedophile’ allegations

A former Catholic Archbishop has denied in the High Court he asked a woman in early 2009 to sign a handwritten “binding agreement”, which referred to paying her €100,000, in an effort to get her to withdraw complaints against him.

Dolores Atwood had made a formal complaint of child sexual abuse against Richard Burke to his order, the Kiltegan Fathers, in late 2008, the High Court heard. She also wrote to the Vatican in March 2008 and, in 2005, phoned Mr Burke’s order anonymously alleging he was having relations with women.