Published Thursday, 21 July 2011
Enda Kenny told the Dáil that the latest report into the cover-up of such abuse, in the Cloyne diocese in Co Cork, had exposed a dysfunctional, elite hierarchy determined to frustrate investigations.
"The rape and torture of children were downplayed or 'managed' to uphold instead, the primacy of the institution, its power, standing and 'reputation'," he said.
It's the first time a Taoiseach has been so scornful of the Roman Catholic Church and such hostility in Ireland directed towards the Vatican could put the Pope's visit in jeopardy.
Although no official announcement has been made, Pope Benedict XVI has been expected to celebrate mass in Ireland in June 2012, making it the first papal visit to the country in more than 30 years.
Mr Kenny's criticism came after the Cloyne report labelled the Vatican "entirely unhelpful" on the issue of child protection.
Among other issues which were red-flagged, it referred to mandatory rules on reporting clerical abuse as merely a "discussion document".
Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has also spoken out about his anger and shame.
He has now called for internal reports on all Irish dioceses by the Church's own watchdog, the National Board for the Safeguarding of Children in the Catholic Church, to be published as soon as possible.
Speaking emotionally to RTÉ, Dr Martin said: "I find myself asking, can I be proud of the church that I am a leader of? What I'm seeing, I have to be ashamed of, because of what was done to victims and other members of the church.
"If there are people in the church who are not prepared to be honest, then those reviews will not get the truth. If they think that by not getting at the truth that they're protecting the church, the Taoiseach's statement in the Dáil should teach them a lesson."