O'Dea: Not up to ministers to remove bishops

The Defence Minister has said it is not up to ministers to remove bishops from their post

Willie O'Dea was speaking following the publication of the Murphy report which criticised the handling of child sex abuse allegations in the Dublin Archdioscese

The report described the Bishop of Limerick Donal Murray's response to an allegation of abuse as "inexcusable".

Dr Murray has not bowed to pressure to resign but says he will be guided on the matter by the priests and people of his diocese

O'Dea, Fianna Fáil TD for Limerick East, said it was ultimately up to the man himself to make that decision.

"Every man must consider the situation for himself," the minister said this morning, adding that in fairness to Bishop Murray he had said publicly that he would listen to the views of the people of Limerick.