Ireland has its own laws, and it is up to the Irish government to formulate and enforce them.

However, in The UK, (this priest claims jurisdiction in Northern Ireland which is subject to UK laws) it has been the law for most of modern times that if you are privy to a crime, you have a duty to report it to the appropriate authorities. Regarding child abuse, this has been strengthened by more recent laws.

I accept that each case is unique, and that's why we have courts rather than the prosecutor deeming the sentence, but I honestly fail to see how covering up appalling crimes is anything other than a crime itself. We jail people who look at child porn and call them paedophiles even though they have not themselves abused children. It is perhaps a moral debate as to whether covering up knowledge of paedophilia is as bad as watching it on the internet...

Again, people who claim a faith are being let down dramatically by those entrusted with leadership. It is as if organised religion is on a self harm kick.