Accusations that The Bishop of Derry was involved in abuse ‘cover up’

The Bishop of Derry has been accused of being involved in a compensation deal to cover up alleged child sex abuse.
Dr Seamus Hegarty was one of three priests named in a civil settlement after an eight-year-old girl was abused over a 10-year period from 1979.
“The Belfast Telegraph reports £12,000 was paid to the alleged victim, subject to a confidentiality agreement.
It comes as the head of Ireland’s Catholics apologised for his role in mishandling a serial child abuser.
As a priest in 1975 Cardinal Sean Brady was at meetings where children signed vows of silence over complaints against paedophile priest Fr Brendan Smyth.
Smyth was eventually convicted of dozens of offences against children.
But despite allegations being previously investigated by church officials, including Cardinal Brady, it was almost 20 years before he was brought to justice.
He said he wanted to apologise to “all those who feel I have let them down”.
Meanwhile, Pope Benedict XVI has announced that on Friday he will sign his long awaited pastoral letter dealing with paedophilia in Ireland.
He said in recent months the church in Ireland had been “rocked by the crisis of abuse of minors” and hoped his letter would “help repentance, healing and renewal”.