Cardinal Sean Brady is expected to give a statement later about claims in a BBC documentary that he failed to act in 1975 to save children from being abused by paedophile priest Fr Brendan Smyth.
The 'This World' programme found that Cardinal Brady, the a recorder of evidence at a secret internal church inquiry in 1975, had the names and addresses of children who were suspected of being abused.
But the programme found no action was taken against the paedophile at the time, and for some of the children the abuse allegedly continued for years after.
The hour-long programme, aired last night, included evidence from Brendan Boland, who had been abused during the 1970s.
At the age of 14, he was the first child to tell his parents he was being abused. He also gave the secret inquiry a list of other children he believed were victims.
“There was a boy from Belfast, I gave his name and address,” said Mr Boland in the documentary.
“A girl from Belfast, I gave her name and address. A girl from Cavan, I gave her name and address. Another boy from Cavan, I gave his name and address. And there was another boy who was his friend.”
Mr Boland said he had witnessed one of the boys being abused and was told by another that he had been a victim too.
In 1975, Cardinal Brady was a priest and a teacher in Co Cavan when he was sent to investigate the sex abuse claims.
The BBC documentary claimed he passed the evidence on to the then bishop, but no action was carried out against Smyth.
A statement is expected from Cardinal Brady later today.
Details of the secret 1975 inquiry were unearthed previously, but the fact that Cardinal Brady had names and addresses of possible victims only emerged in last night’s documentary.
The Primate of all-Ireland had previously claimed he would resign if he were to have failed to act upon allegations of sex abuse.
“I would remember that child abuse is a very serious crime in civil and canon law,” Cardinal Brady said previously.
“It is a grave sin. If I was aware my failure to act had allowed or meant future children were abused, I think I would resign.”
The 'This World' programme found that Cardinal Brady, the a recorder of evidence at a secret internal church inquiry in 1975, had the names and addresses of children who were suspected of being abused.
But the programme found no action was taken against the paedophile at the time, and for some of the children the abuse allegedly continued for years after.
The hour-long programme, aired last night, included evidence from Brendan Boland, who had been abused during the 1970s.
At the age of 14, he was the first child to tell his parents he was being abused. He also gave the secret inquiry a list of other children he believed were victims.
“There was a boy from Belfast, I gave his name and address,” said Mr Boland in the documentary.
“A girl from Belfast, I gave her name and address. A girl from Cavan, I gave her name and address. Another boy from Cavan, I gave his name and address. And there was another boy who was his friend.”
Mr Boland said he had witnessed one of the boys being abused and was told by another that he had been a victim too.
In 1975, Cardinal Brady was a priest and a teacher in Co Cavan when he was sent to investigate the sex abuse claims.
The BBC documentary claimed he passed the evidence on to the then bishop, but no action was carried out against Smyth.
A statement is expected from Cardinal Brady later today.
Details of the secret 1975 inquiry were unearthed previously, but the fact that Cardinal Brady had names and addresses of possible victims only emerged in last night’s documentary.
The Primate of all-Ireland had previously claimed he would resign if he were to have failed to act upon allegations of sex abuse.
“I would remember that child abuse is a very serious crime in civil and canon law,” Cardinal Brady said previously.
“It is a grave sin. If I was aware my failure to act had allowed or meant future children were abused, I think I would resign.”