Garda Commissioner: 'Special treatment' of priests will not happen again
Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy has said the special treatment given by gardaí in the past to members of the clergy suspected of child abuse will never happen again.
He made the remarks in response to the Murphy report published last week, which criticised some members of the force for treating priests with undue deference.
Commissioner Murphy apologised for failures of the Garda Síochána to properly investigate some cases brought to their attention, but said that none of the gardaí criticised in the report are currently serving.
"My concern is that, in past times, an undue deference was provided to people in the clerical institutions," Commissioner Murphy said.
"That has no place in criminal investigations. It certainly has no place in 2009 under my watch and I won't allow that to happen."
Meanwhile speaking in Monaghan this morning Brian Cowen said those named in the Murphy report on child abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese need to reflect and respond appropriately.
Since the report was published last Thursday pressure has mounted on Bishop of Limerick Donal Murray and other clergy criticised in it to resign. Over the weekend Mr Cowen had insisted the issue of resignations was one for the Church.
"The State isn't involved - in any church - in who takes ecclesiastical office or holds office," the Taoiseach said today.
"But clearly it's a matter for reflection now, for those people who have been mentioned in the report."
