During an interview on yesterday’s show Pat Kenny asked author and outspoken atheist, Christopher Hitchens, for his views on the child abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.
Hitchens didn’t mince his words when it came to how Irish authorities were dealing with the matter.
Hitchens:
What’s happening in your country, don’t you have a department of public prosecutions?
Kenny:
We do.
Hitchens:
What are your police for? If there are men who have admitted forcing children to sign untruthful statements and forcing them to shut up. These men are walking around free, why is that may I ask, why should a private citizen be left to point this out.
What are your forces of law and order doing?
Kenny:
Well, it is a matter, as you can well imagine, of robust debate here and has been for quite some time.
Hitchens:
Yes, I know, I follow it and I’ve been very impressed with the tenacity of the Irish survivors and their friends and representatives but again as I say it’s been left to victims and their friends to seek justice.
Why do the organs of justice not decide to take a hand and when will they do so, I’ll leave you with the question.
Kenny seemed unnerved by Hitchens’ challenge regarding the lack of action by the forces of law and order.
He seemed puzzled that Hitchens didn’t understand how these things are dealt with in Ireland – by endless talk.
Well said Hitchens.
Where are the Garda.
What about withholding information about a crime?
Is that a criminal offence here?