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	Cowen Welcomes "Direct Apology" from Pope By Mary Minihan and Jamie Smyth The Irish Times March 23, 2010 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0323/1224266875903.html TAOISEACH'S REACTION: TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has said there are “things to be welcomed” in Pope Benedict’s pastoral letter to the Catholics of Ireland. In his first public response to the letter published on Saturday, Mr Cowen said the letter was addressed to members of the Catholic Church and churchgoers and the State had “wider responsibilities” to discharge. “The Government will discharge its responsibility and the church has to see what way it can ensure its credibility and authority is respected by its own members,” he said. Mr Cowen said he welcomed the “direct apology” from the pope as well as an acknowledgment that huge dismay was felt by many at the way the issue of clerical child sex abuse had been handled. Asked if the State’s inquiry into clerical child sex abuse should be extended, Mr Cowen said the Government was committed to ensuring independent investigations took place where issues arose, and “that where criminal proceedings are required to be pursued that will always happen”. He said the State had been strong about the need to ensure child protection services that met requirements were in place, and the Government had been to the fore in bringing forward the Ryan and Murphy reports. Mr Cowen was speaking at eBay headquarters in Blanchardstown, Dublin, yesterday morning. Minister of State for Children Barry Andrews described Pope Benedict’s letter as “useful”, but he criticised its failure to address institutional weaknesses within the church. He also expressed disappointment yesterday that the pastoral letter did not address the issue of celibacy within the priesthood. “I think everyone is of the view that the issue of celibacy creates pressures on the human condition that are very hard to cope with and I would like to have seen that addressed in some way,” said Mr Andrews. He said the pope had made a “genuine apology” but that the letter did not address the institutional weaknesses in the church that are not exclusive to Ireland.
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