Successor to Cardinal Brady named

The successor to the head of the Catholic church in Ireland, replacing Cardinal Sean Brady, has been announced. Seventy-three-year-old Catholic Primate of All Ireland Cardinal Brady will be replaced by Monsignor Eamon Martin as the Archbishop of Armagh. Only last year did Cardinal Brady come in for severe criticism after it emerged he had carried out an investigation into allegations of child abuse by Father Brendan Smyth in 1975, swearing two of the alleged victims to secrecy. However, he said he would not resign over the affair. A native of Laragh in the Diocese of Kilmore, Cardinal Brady was trained at St Patrick's College, Maynooth and the Irish College, Rome, later ordained in February 1964. Pope Benedict XVI announced Archbishop Brady was to be created a Cardinal back in 2007, Cardinal Brady is also currently chairman of the Irish Episcopal Conference. The announcement of the changes to the Irish Catholic hierarchy was made at a Mass in Armagh this morning. Monsignor Martin, diocesan administrator of the Diocese of Derry will assume Cardinal Brady's duties by 2015 at the earliest. Meanwhile, Cardinal Brady will hold his first official meeting with Taoiseach Enda Kenny later today. He will also meet the Ministers for Health, Education and Children. Abortion legislation, the reports into abuse of children and the closure of the Irish Embassy in the Vatican are all expected to be discussed at that meeting.