Archbishop apologises over priest's tirade against Revenue

An Archbishop has apologised to the Revenue Commissioners for what he describes as "unacceptable" comments made by a priest in his diocese.

A group of senior clergymen is meeting in Cork after it was reported Father Tadhg O'Donovan referred to the Revenue Commissioners as "the biggest shower of b*****ds on the planet".

Father O'Donovan - a curate from Whitechurch in County Cork - launched the foul-mouthed tirade on tax officials in the Daily Star newspaper.

It followed his inclusion on a list of tax defaulters published yesterday.

Father O'Donovan reached a settlement for €433,000 for underdeclaration of tax.

In an interim statement from the Diocese of Cloyne, Archbishop Clifford has apologised to the Revenue Commissioners for what he described as "unacceptable comments".

The Archbishop said he will be seeing Father O'Donovan as soon as possible, and demanding a full and immediate apology from him.