Irish cardinal settles lawsuit in sex-abuse case

November 30, 2011

Cardinal Sean Brady, the Primate of All Ireland, has reached an out-of-court settlement to resolve a lawsuit brought by a sex-abuse victim.

Brendan Boland, who was molested by Father Brendan Smyth in the early 1970s, brought suit against Cardinal Brady for failing to take action against the abusive cleric. The cardinal—who was involved in the case as a young priest handling canonical affairs--has said that he sought to have Smyth removed from ministry, but concedes that he did not inform police about the multiple complaints against the priest.

The cardinal paid an undisclosed sum to Boland to settle the case, just before a hearing was scheduled in a Dublin court.

 

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Further information:

• Legal action against Cardinal Brady settled (Irish Examiner)
• Irish primate charged with abuse cover-up under pressure to resign (CWN, 3/15/10)