Cardinal Brady says he won't resign over new abuse 'cover-up' claims Monsignor Charles J Scicluna defended Cardinal Sean Brady's role in secret interviews with a 14-year-old victim in 1975 in which he was told it was likely the late priest was abusing five other named children. The Vatican cleric, from the Holy See's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, claimed the Primate of All-Ireland had fulfilled his duties by referring information on child abuse to his seniors. Three years ago when explosive allegations about Cardinal Brady's role in the canon inquiry into Smyth emerged he said he would resign if he found his actions or failings had led to another child being abused. "His duty, and I think that what I would expect of a notary or an interviewer's duty, is to pass the information to the people who are in authority," Monsignor Scicluna said. The people who are in authority would have the duty not only to put the people away from danger and so, if they are minors, to inform their parents, but also to make sure that the priest who is offending doesn't offend and that he is put under supervision. Father Brady referred all this information to the people who had authority and a duty to act. Monsignor Scicluna, known in Vatican circles as the promoter of justice, told RTE the cardinal was only a note-taker in 1975. "He was doing his duty to investigate something that had come to the knowledge of the church and I think he fulfilled his duty well," he said. New evidence unearthed in the BBC documentary found Cardinal Brady had the names and addresses of children who were suspected of being abused, during a secret internal church inquiry in 1975. Cardinal Brady did not put his version of events to the programme makers. He is now under intense pressure to address in public the questions raised. As a priest in 1975 Cardinal Brady interviewed victims and passed the information on to his superiors, but the children's parents were not informed and no action was taken against Smyth. Some children were abused by the paedophile priest for years after the probe. The hour-long This World show on BBC, aired last night, included evidence from Brendan Boland, who had been abused during the 1970s. He was 14 when he told his parents about the abuse. He also gave the secret inquiry a list of other children he believed were victims. Mr Boland said he had witnessed one boy being abused and was told by another that he had been a victim as well. In 1975, Cardinal Brady was a priest and a teacher in Co Cavan when he was sent to investigate the sex abuse claims. His role was note-taker - a duty he has claimed did not give him the authority to pursue the allegations himself. Details of the church inquiry were unearthed previously, but the fact that Cardinal Brady had names and addresses of possible victims only emerged in last night's documentary. The Primate of All-Ireland had previously claimed he would resign if he were found to have failed to act upon allegations of sex abuse. "I would remember that child abuse is a very serious crime in civil and canon law," Cardinal Brady said previously. It is a grave sin. If I was aware my failure to act had allowed or meant future children were abused, I think I would resign. Cardinal Brady has the backing of Dermot Clifford, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly and the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Cloyne, who said there is no reason for him to quit. The Vatican's chief investigator, Monsignor Charles J Scicluna, also insisted that Cardinal Brady has no case to answer and fulfilled his duties by referring information on child abuse to his seniors. Three years ago, when explosive allegations about Cardinal Brady's role in the canon inquiry into Smyth emerged, he said he would resign if he found his actions or failings had led to another child being abused. Amid the renewed calls for his resignation, Cardinal Brady, who interviewed two of Smyth's young victims under a special canon oath while a 33-year-old priest, said he regretted that the Church's response in the 1970s was so inadequate. "I was shocked, appalled and outraged when I first discovered in the mid-1990s that Brendan Smyth had gone on to abuse others," he said. With others, I feel betrayed that those who had the authority in the Church to stop Brendan Smyth failed to act on the evidence I gave them. However, I also accept that I was part of an unhelpful culture of deference and silence in society, and the Church, which thankfully is now a thing of the past. New evidence came to light which revealed Cardinal Brady had the names and addresses of children who were suspected of being abused, during the secret canon inquiry. The Primate's role has been described by the Church as a note-taker, purely administrative, to pass the information on to his superiors. The youngsters' parents were not informed. Some children were abused by Smyth for years after the probe. Brendan Boland, who had been abused during the 1970s, gave the secret inquiry a list of other children he believed were victims. "There was a boy from Belfast, I gave his name and address," said Mr Boland in the documentary. A girl from Belfast, I gave her name and address. A girl from Cavan, I gave her name and address. Another boy from Cavan, I gave his name and address. And there was another boy who was his friend. In a lengthy statement, Cardinal Brady said he did not lead any investigation into Smyth but had been asked by his then superior, the late Bishop Francis McKiernan of Kilmore, to assist senior clerics. The Cardinal said he did not ask the teenager any questions but later carried out an interview with one of the other named victims to corroborate evidence. He said he had received no training. He also claimed that, as a priest, he would not be considered responsible for reporting the allegations under today's rules. I had absolutely no authority over Brendan Smyth. Even my Bishop had limited authority over him. The only people who had authority within the Church to stop Brendan Smyth from having contact with children were his Abbot in the Monastery in Kilnacrott and his Religious Superiors in the Norbertine Order. He said he assumed and trusted the abbot would have dealt decisively with Smyth. Cardinal Brady added: "I had no such authority to act and even by today's guidance from the State, I was not the person who had the role of bringing the allegations received to the attention of the civil authorities. I was also acutely aware that I had no authority in Church law in relation to Brendan Smyth or any other aspect of the inquiry process. Cardinal Brady also addressed his future and comments he made in 2009 when he said he would resign if his actions led to other children suffering abuse. He said this remark related specifically to the responsibility of management or of clerics in authority. "I gave this answer in response to a question specifically about someone in a position of 'management', someone who was already a bishop or religious superior with ultimate responsibility for managing a priest against whom an allegation has been made," the Cardinal said. In 1975, I was not a bishop. I was not in that role. The Cardinal said the BBC documentary had been misleading in its reporting of his role in the inquiry, his response to further revelations from victims and whether he would consider resigning. The programme revealed Mr Boland had witnessed one boy being abused and was told by another that he had been a victim as well. In 1975, Cardinal Brady was a priest and a teacher in Co Cavan when he was sent to support the investigation into sex abuse claims. Details of the church inquiry were unearthed previously, but the fact that Cardinal Brady had names and addresses of possible victims only emerged in the latest documentary. Archbishop Clifford said the cardinal had no reason to step down. I don't see any reason why he should resign. He did what he was asked to do as a young priest of 33 years, and he made his report," the archbishop said. We are also speaking about a different generation. When asked to do something by your bishop, you did it and the responsibility lay with him. Late last year Cardinal Brady offered to apologise in person to Mr Boland following an undisclosed out-of-court settlement over the abuse. Mr Boland has said he first confided in a young priest after two years of abuse. He was then interrogated by two clerics, with the then Fr Brady taking notes, in an Ecclesiastical Court, and had to swear on oath that he would not talk about the interview with anyone but an authorised priest. The Church has since claimed the oath was designed to protect the child and prevent his evidence being manipulated by Smyth. The Vatican press office declined to comment and referred the matter to the Church in Ireland. Later, the Cardinal added that he had considered his future but decided the controversy was not a resigning matter. Looking back, he said he felt he had been operating in a culture of deference and maybe unhelpful silence. "I knew chapter and verse of what was going on," the Cardinal said, I did not have the awareness now that I have of the impact that was having on the children. I was teaching boys of that age at that time every day of the week. I believed Brendan Boland and I took on board what he said and I did what I thought was most effective in stopping this terrible abuse by referring it to the man who had the power to curb the movement of Brendan Smyth. I trusted that that would take place.