IRELAND
The Journal
THE ARCHBISHOP OF Dublin Diarmuid Martin has said that many priests feel hurt about a cartoon that appeared in the Irish Times yesterday.
The cartoon by Martyn Turner shows three priests standing next to each other.
The priest in the centre is holding a paper that has “Children’s First Bill” written on it as well “mandatory reporting”.
Earlier this week, the Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald said the Children First Bill will make it mandatory for certain professions and post-holders to report incidents of harm and the risk of harm to the Child and Family Agency.
Speaking on Holy Thursday in the Pro Cathedral in Dublin today, Martin said:
I know that many priests and people feel hurt by a cartoon in yesterday’s Irish Times.
I am a strong believer in freedom of speech and of the vital role of satire in social criticism, but I object to anything that would unjustly tarnish all good priests with the unpardonable actions of some.
We have great priests in the Archdiocese of Dublin.
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