GARDAÍ AND THE health service in the Republic of Ireland knew about the activities of paedophile priest Brendan Smyth in the early 1970s, Northern Ireland’s Historical Abuse Inquiry heard today.

Previously confidential documents released to the inquiry show that Smyth was receiving psychiatric treatment in St Patrick’s Hospital in Dublin.

The inquiry also heard that his activities came to attention of gardaí in 1973.

Diagnosed 

Documents also reveal that he was diagnosed as a paedophile in 1974, however he went on to abuse scores of young children.

RTÉ reports that Fr William Fitzgerald, an Australian priest who served with Smyth at Kilnacrott Abbey in County Cavan during the late 1980s gave evidence today.

He said in 1987 he nearly came to blows with Smyth when he ordered him to stay away from a children’s choir.

The BBC reports that Fr Fitzgerald said efforts to stop Smyth had been “pathetic”.

He told the inquiry that Smyth’s car boot was always filled with “candy” and this was his tool with dealing with children.

Previously the inquiry had heard that members of Smyth’s own order said he should never have been ordained and that his paedophile tendencies had been identified years previous.

The public inquiry heard yesterday that the priest admitted he may have sexually abused up to 200 children.

Smyth was convicted of 117 cases of indecent assault in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

He had served three years of a 12-year jail sentence when he died in 1997.

Victims of abuse have said that if the authorities in the south knew of Smyth’s activities and failed to act, then they must be held accountable for their actions.

A statement from the gardaí this evening states:

It would not be appropriate for An Garda Síochána to comment while the Inquiry is ongoing.

TheJournal.ie contacted the HSE for a statement but none was received at the time of publication.

Connect is available this week to provide free telephone-based counselling to anyone impacted by the focus of the HIA inquiry in Northern Ireland on Brendan Smyth.

Connect provides professional telephone based counselling and support to survivors of abuse at freephone 1800 477 477 from the Republic of Ireland and 00800 477 477 77 from Northern Ireland and the UK.

Further information at www.connectcounselling.ie 

The Samaritans can also be called for free on 116 123.

Read: Brendan Smyth victim: ‘Every time it happened another part of me died’>

Read: “He ought never to have been ordained” – Fr Brendan Smyth’s order>