One of the country’s leading theologians has said Cardinal Seán Brady should resign as Catholic Primate following fresh allegations about a church inquiry into clerical child abuse in the 1970s.
Fr Vincent Twomey said there were issues arising from the current controversy that the Catholic Church must address internally.
The retired Professor of Moral Theology at St Patrick's College in Maynooth said these issues included a pre-occupation with duty and a legalisitic approach to abuse over humanity.
Speaking on RTÉ's Prime Time, Fr Twomey also said Cardinal Brady has lost his moral authority.
A number of politicians have called on Cardinal Brady to consider his position over claims that he failed to warn the parents of victims, or the gardaí or police after hearing allegations of abuse against Brendan Smyth.
Dr Brady has said he had passed the abuse allegations to his then superior for action and was appalled to find out, years later, that it had not been acted upon.
Fr Twomey said he was not calling on the Cardinal to resign, but he reluctantly thought he should step down for the good of the church.