Ireland's Catholic primate, Cardinal Sean Brady, has been discharged from a hospital in County Armagh.

Brady was admitted into hospital last night after he became ill at a confirmation ceremony in Kildress parish church in County Tyrone.

Brady felt weak and was subsequently ushered to the sacristy area of the church and stayed there until an ambulance arrived.
The Catholic Communications Office released a statement this morning on behalf of Brady.

"Following a thorough medical assessment yesterday evening Cardinal Seán Brady has been discharged from Craigavon Area Hospital.”

“In accordance with doctor's instructions Cardinal Brady is returning home to Armagh to rest,”

Brady thanked the hospital staff for "their kindness and care during my time."

“I am also grateful for the prayerful support and good wishes that I have received."

Brady has been under serious pressure to resign as Cardinal since it emerged last month, that he had failed to notify the police about two incidents of sexual abuse during the 1970s.

On March 14, 1975. Brady interviewed to youths that claimed they were sexually assaulted by the infamous child abuser, Fr Brendan Smyth.

Brady conducted the investigation and swore the two youths to secrecy, and then reported his findings to the Bishop of Kilmore, Dr. Francis McKiernan.

Both Brady and McKiernan failed to notify the Irish authorities and decided to deal with Smyth through cannon law.

Smyth was subsequently banned from performing his duties as a priest and continued to abuse children for a further 18 years.

Unsurprisingly, Brady has been under intense public pressure to resign since the details of his in-actions were revealed to the general public.

The Smyth case was one of the first clerical pedophile scandals to go to court in Ireland and it led to the collapse of then government in 1994.

In an Easter Sunday homily at St Patrick's Cathedral, Brady declared that intended to remain in his current position as the Catholic primate of all Ireland.