FIANNA Fail’s Mark Daly Calls for Resignation of Bishop of Clonfert

By Majella O'Sullivan
Irish Independent
September 6, 2012

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/fianna-fails-mark-daly-calls-for-resignation-of-bishop-of-clonfert-3222033.html

A FIANNA Fail senator has called for the resignation of the Bishop of Clonfert, Dr John Kirby, accusing him of being "unfit for leadership".

Senator Mark Daly said Bishop Kirby had difficulty distinguishing right from wrong and should step down from his leadership role within the Church.

An audit by the church's child protection watchdog, the National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC) published yesterday found that Dr Kirby had transferred two abusive priests from one parish to another in 1990 and 1994, although the abuse had been reported to the civil authorities.

Dr Kirby admitted he made "a grave mistake" but said he believed, at the time, paedophilia to be a "friendship that had gone astray".

Mr Daly, using his Oireachtas privilege earlier this year, named one of the priests accused of sexual abuse.