Connell denies reports he will resign

CARDINAL Desmond Connell yesterday rejected reports in a Sunday newspaper that he is due to resign in the next few weeks.

Commenting on the front page story in the Sunday Business Post, the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland said: "I have absolutely no reason to believe that that report is true."

The report said the Cardinal's resignation as Archbishop of Dublin was "imminent".

Cardinal Connell is due to turn 77 in March. He offered the Pope his resignation on reaching his 75th birthday in March 2000, the mandatory age for retirement for bishops.

But the Pope appointed him cardinal a month before, and he was asked to stay on.

In theory, cardinals can continue until they reach the age of 80, like Cardinal Cathal Daly.

Sources said yesterday it was up to the Pope to decide whether or not to accept Cardinal Connell's resignation.

The papal nuncio here, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, is expected to consult with priests in the diocese regarding a successor.

He will then present three names to Rome, from which one will be picked.

It is understood the battering the cardinal has taken in recent years in relation to a succession of clerical sex abuse scandals has taken its toll.

Most recently, Cardinal Connell publicly apologised to a 28-year-old man who had been abused by a Dublin diocesan priest.

The apology last Tuesday was part of a High Court settlement of €345,000 the highest in a clerical sex abuse case.

The victim, Mervyn Rundle, from Donnycarney, Dublin, was molested by convicted sex abuser Fr Tom Naughton in the mid-1980s.

Cardinal Connell was appointed Archbishop of Dublin in 1988 and has been beset by criticisms over his handling of clerical sex abuse cases and his response to complaints made to him by victims.

However, last December he was reconciled with two victims of clerical abuse after he committed the archdiocese to cooperate fully with garda investigations.

Marie Collins and Mr Ken Reilly cancelled a planned protest to Archbishop's House in Drumcondra following the meeting.

Mrs Collins, who had previously called on Cardinal Connell to resign, said afterwards she believed there was no need for him to do so.

Cardinal Connell said the archdiocese would submit all files concerning complaints of child sexual abuse involving diocesan priests to investigating gardaí.

Meanwhile, former residents of industrial schools and orphanages could receive a minimum of €20,000 from the state compensation scheme just for being in such an institution.

Residents who were not sexually or physically abused can still claim compensation for emotional abuse, neglect and loss of opportunity.

At least 10,000 former residents are now expected to make claims to the Residential Institutions Redress Board, which was set up in 2002.