Metro Herald - 03/12/2009 digital edition

d20 return to Belfast TAKE THE TRAINDEER Adult Day Return fare from Dublin to Belfast costs just 20. Leave the car behind, and youll really enjoy a day in the city soaking up the festive atmosphere. Tickets available from Booking Offices and www.irishrail.ie 14 METRO Thursday, December 3, 2009 D Tax-dodger priest says sorry for X-rated rant A TAX-DODGING priest was forced to make a grovelling public apology last night after he launched a foul-mouthed tirade over a 433,000 tax bill. Father Tadhg ODonovan hit out after he was named and shamed as one of the top 20 defaulters in Ireland for failing to fully declare rent money. His archbishop, Dermot Clifford, also apologised directly to the head of the Revenue Commissioners after the landlord priest claimed tax inspectors were inconsiderate, inhumane and had driven people to suicide. The curate of Whitechurch, in Co Cork, also accused officials of releasing the tax-dodgers list to coincide with the fall-out of Judge Yvonne Murphys sickening report into clerical child abuse in Dublin. In a statement released through the Catholic Communications Office, Fr ODonovan apologised for obscene language he used to reporters and the remarks he made against the Revenue Commissioners. He said: I made these in the heat of the moment and did not realise that they would be published.Diarmuid Martin: Dublin Archbishop criticised colleague Picture: PA Bishops row over abuse responseTHE countrys Catholic hierarchy saw a damaging rift after a bishop publicly clashed with a senior col- league over mishandling of child sex abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese. As the fall-out from the Murphy re- port on the cover-up of paedophile priests deepened, Bishop of Limerick Donal Murray hit back over calls for him to take responsibility for his ac- tions while working in Dublin. Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin last night warned he was un- happy with the response of clergy named and shamed in the damning State inquiry and called on them to address abuse survivors directly. But Bishop Murray, who failed to properly investigate abusive priests, defended his actions since its publica- tion and maintained he has already given a thorough public response. Bishop Murray is not looking to save his position, his spokesman said. He has merely entered into a proc- ess of engagement with the people and priests of his diocese as to wheth- er his ministry is a hindrance or help to the diocese. We would also like to stress that full consideration is being given to the opinions of all members of the public, not least those in the Archdio- cese of Dublin and, particularly, sur- vivors of clerical child sex abuse dur- ing Bishop Murrays time there as an auxiliary bishop. Bishop Murray previously said his future in the Church would be guided by the priests and people in his dio- cese who later backed him to stay in his position. However, Archbishop Martin who opened secret church files to investiga- tors revealing senior churchmen shielded paedophile priests to protect the churchs status said those impli- cated must take responsibility for what they did, adding they should publicly come forward and face the victims, in- stead of being hunted or pushed. By sArAh stAck index.html 2.html 3.html 4.html 5.html 6.html 7.html 8.html 9.html 10.html 11.html 12.html 13.html 14.html 15.html 16.html 17.html 18.html 19.html 20.html 21.html 22.html 23.html 24.html 25.html 26.html 27.html 28.html 29.html 30.html 31.html 32.html 33.html 34.html 35.html