Inquiry Told Smyth Should Never Have Been Ordained

RTE News
June 22, 2015

http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0622/709660-brendan-smyth/

Warning signs had surfaced prior to Brendan Smyth's ordination in the 1940s

Northern Ireland's Historical Abuse Inquiry has commenced its module dealing with notorious paedophile priest Fr Brendan Smyth, who died in prison in 1997.

At its opening session in Banbridge Co Down this morning, the inquiry heard that the Norbertine Order priest abused hundreds of children over a period spanning several decades.

He was convicted of indecently assaulting 74 children in the Republic of Ireland and of indecently assaulting 43 others in Northern Ireland.

Some of the abuse took place in care homes run by religious orders.

In a written statement to the inquiry a representative of the Norbertine Order acknowledged that warning signs had surfaced prior to Brendan Smyth's ordination in the 1940s and that he ought never to have been ordained to the priesthood.

The retired archbishop of Armagh, Cardinal Sean Brady, is to give evidence on Thursday.

In 1975, when he was a priest on the teaching staff of Saint Patrick's College, Cavan, Cardinal Brady was the note taker during a church inquiry into sexual abuse allegations made against Smyth.

During today's hearing in Banbridge, junior counsel to the inquiry Joseph Aiken said the church has acknowledged in a statement that its greatest failure was not to report to the police the allegations of abuse that were made during that inquiry in 1975.

Retired judge Anthony Hart is leading the HIA inquiry.

It is one of the UK's largest inquiries into physical, sexual and emotional harm to children at homes run by the church, state and voluntary organisations.

Smyth's abuse has already been described by a number of witnesses who have previously given evidence to the inquiry.

This week's module will therefore concentrate on an examination of what opportunities there were to prevent Smyth carrying out the abuse of children and the inquiry panel will consider whether any action, or inaction, amounted to systemic failings.

The inquiry was formally established in January 2013 by the Northern Ireland Executive