IRELAND
New Ross Echo
Mary Frances Ryan
She was speaking during a debate on the Ferns Report in Dáil Éireann last Wednesday.
Ms. McDonnell claimed the Catholic Church’s record was such that the State could not accept that it would be truthful or capable of self-regulation.
She said that in a democracy all views could be heard but that there should be no special relationship; that this extremely influential relationship should end absolutely.
“The Church is neither democratic nor accountable. In many ways it is a secret organisation,” said Ms. O’Donnell.
She described the deference shown to the Church as the “root cause of society’s failure to stop the Church’s systematic maladministration and dereliction of duty to protect children”.