Priest suspended amid rape allegations

The Catholic Church tonight suspended a priest at the centre of rape allegations.

The unnamed priest had been carrying out his parish duties in the Diocese of Tuam in County Galway while Gardaí investigated allegations from a woman that she had been raped by him.

Archbishop of Tuam Michael Neary said he had asked the priest to stand aside from his duties.

“My biggest concern is that the garda investigation would be allowed to run its course and by asking the priest to step down does not in any way connote guilt,” he told RTE news.

Archbishop Neary had faced questions about why he was allowing the priest to serve after the allegations had been made.

The woman wrote to him in September through her solicitors and also made a statement to Gardaí.

Gardaí are preparing a file on the case for the Director of Public Prosecutions.