Chris:
"the Irish church seems to have been trying to move towards more accountability"
I suggest that the 'move towards accountability" is more of a fight for survival than a change of heart.
The abuse disclosures haven't by any means run their course yet - Northern Ireland stands to be examined next, and one of these days the Magdalene girls will get a hearing (unless the church and government succeed in their efforts to wash their hands of them).
Jim Carroll