Cardinal Desmond Connell, photo via catholicnewsagency.com

Irish cardinal ends legal dispute over sex abuse documents

Cardinal Desmond Connell, former archbishop of Dublin, has withdrawn his attempt to prevent a government sexual abuse inquiry from examining documents provided by his successor, reports Catholic News Agency.

Cardinal Connell’s lawyers had previously secured a temporary order blocking the release of the files. They claimed the documents were privileged or protected by lawyer-client confidentiality.

Diarmuid Martin, the present Archbishop of Dublin, had provided the documents in obedience to an order from the Commission of Investigation into Sexual Abuse. The documents dated from 1975 to 2004 and related to claims of child abuse against a representative sample of 46 priests in the archdiocese.

Lawyers for both bishops agreed to seek resolution, avoiding a potentially bitter court fight.

According to RTÉ News, a source close to Cardinal Connell speculated that fellow retired clergy in Rome may have persuaded him to end his objections.

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[02/12/2008]

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