A retired parish priest who paid substantial compensation last month to a woman for an assault on her is to be subject to an internal disciplinary procedure under Canon Law.
Two weeks ago the priest published an apology to Mrs Geraldine O'Neill in the parish newsletter for "the pain and hurt caused [to her] as a result of an incident on the 23rd March, 1998".
The Catholic Press Office has confirmed that Archbishop Sean Brady has "initiated a process under Canon Law" against Father Turlough Connolly (78), of Togher in Co Louth.
The priest was not convicted of the charge of assaulting Mrs O'Neill at Dillonstown, Co Louth, because on the day of the court case Mrs O'Neill withdrew the complaint.
She told Dunleer District Court that Father Connolly had offered her an undisclosed sum of money in compensation for his assault on her, provided she withdrew the complaint.
The background to the assault was not disclosed in court and part of the agreement between the parties was that Mrs O'Neill did not breach confidentiality clauses.
However, speaking after the case was dismissed, she said the incident had affected her whole life. "I will never be able to walk away from it or forget it. He is paying compensation, it is an admittance on his part that wrong was done to me."
This weekend the Catholic Press Office said "it was not possible for Archbishop Brady to take any action while the matter was before the courts. Now that is it no longer sub judice, the archbishop has initiated a process under Canon Law. Those involved will be informed of the outcome as soon as possible."
A close friend of Mrs O'Neill said the priest had inflicted facial and neck injuries on her and that part of the secret agreement was that the apology be published in the parish newsletter.
The incident has caused deep divisions in the rural parish of Togher and Mrs O'Neill, who is separated from her husband, no longer lives in the area.
Under Canon Law the archbishop can set up a tribunal to examine the behaviour of one of his clerics and a range of disciplinary measures can be enforced. These include public reprimands, transfers or the withdrawal of clerical status.