McDowell disturbed by clerical sex abuse revelations

Justice Minister Michael McDowell has said he is disturbed about collusion allegations made last night in a TV documentary about clerical sex abuse in Dublin.

The programme, which detailed the crimes of eight paedophile priests accused Cardinal Desmond Connell of failing to hand over information to the gardai, despite knowing that crimes had been committed.

It also accused him of writing a clean reference for a priest suspected of child sex abuse.

Minister McDowell said this morning that he did not see the documentary, but was disturbed by what he had heard about it.

The Irish Survivors of Child Abuse group has called on the minister to order a garda investigation into the allegations, but Mr McDowell said reflection is needed before any decision is made.