The head of Ireland's Catholic Church faces a court battle over allegations he covered up shocking complaints made against notorious paedophile priest Fr Brendan Smyth. Cardinal Sean Brady is being sued in his personal capacity - as well as his role as Catholic Primate of All Ireland - by a woman who was victimised by the brutal sex attacker for five years.
The woman maintains the senior cleric was one of three priests who interviewed her as a teenager in 1975 about her five-year long ordeal and then failed to ensure it was reported to the civil authorities, including the gardai.
A spokesman for Cardinal Brady has confirmed the cleric was present at two meetings that year where two victims signed oaths to "respect the confidentiality of the information gathering process."
It is understood an affidavit submitted to Dublin's High Court accuses the country's most senior cleric of failing to report the formal signed complaints to gardai and of failing to take any adequate steps to ensure Smyth did not continue to perpetrate sexual assaults on children.
It is also claimed he caused two children - who were the subject matter of the inquiries held in March and April 1975 - to sign an oath not to discuss the interview with anyone except priests who had permission to discuss it.
The papers state that by failing to report complaints against Smyth the two victims - a young boy and a teenage girl - were deprived of appropriate medical treatment.
The woman maintains she continues to suffer from very severe personal injuries, distress, trauma, loss and damage by virtue of the negligence and breach of duty of the defendants.
The other clergy named in court papers are Fr Gerard Cusack, as head of the Norbertine Order of which Smyth was a member, and Bishop Leo O'Reilly of Lismore diocese, as head of the diocese.
Neither men were involved directly with the young woman and are not being sued in a personal capacity.
It is understood the proceedings are being defended by the defendants.
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