“Even today the appropriate person to do that is the designated person (within his order). I was not that person,” he said.

“But I insist again I did act, and act effectively, in that inquiry to produce the grounds for removing Fr. Smyth from ministry and specifically it was underlined that he was not to hear confessions and that was very important.... The responsibility for his behaviour as a priest rested with his religious superior.”

The allegations surrounding Smyth involved a group of teenagers who told then-Fr. Brady that the priest had abused them. At the time, Brady insisted that the complainants swear an oath of secrecy and not discuss what happened with anybody other than an approved priest.