Cardinal Desmond Connell, the former Archbishop of Dublin, is under medical supervision in a nursing home and will be unable to attend the High Court today, for his action against the diocesan commission on clerical child abuse.Connell has brought an action against commission chairwoman Judge Yvonne Murphy and barrister Ita Mangan, to prevent them examining documents over which he claims legal professional privilege.
Connell’s successor, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, has said that he wants the commission to examine tens of thousands of diocesan documents, relating to allegations of child abuse by clergy.
It is understood that he has given the commission around 5,000 documents relating to Connell, but that the cardinal is claiming privilege in relation to less than two dozen of those.
The matter came before the High Court last Monday, when it was adjourned for a week. Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill said the court would do its utmost to facilitate an early hearing.
It is understood that the court action took Martin by surprise, and that there had been no indication from Connell’s lawyers that he intended to take action in the High Court.
The cardinal’s solicitor, Diarmuid O’ Cathain, of South Terrace, Cork, was unavailable for comment last Friday.
A spokeswoman said that he was in consultations all day.
Connell, who now lives in a semidetached house in Glasnevin, Dublin, is recuperating in a nursing home after injuring his leg after a fall in Rome. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce