Hanafin: 'O Searchaigh controversy might cause difficulty'

Education Minister Mary Hanafin has admitted that the controversy associated with the Irish poet Cathal O Searcaigh may cause some difficulty for Leaving Cert students.

A documentary aired last night on RTE raised serious questions about the poet's relationship with teenage boys in Nepal.

Mr O Searcaigh has admitted having sex with the young men, but claims the programme was distorted.

Minister Mary Hanafin told reporters in Dublin today that there are no immediate plans to remove his work from the Leaving Cert syllabus for this year.

However, she admitted that Leaving Cert questions about the life of the poet "might cause difficulty".