The Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has said he would not publicly back the Primate of All-Ireland Cardinal Sean Brady in the wake of further allegations that he failed to disclose information about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church during the 1970s.

Martin said the challenges facing the Catholic Church in Ireland were not solely about one person.

Speaking at the annual child protection update of the Archdiocese of Dublin he told the press: “Cardinal Brady has said that he is staying and that he has lots of support from people; I've never commented and I don't know anything of those details... made no comments on other bishops.”

Earlier this month Martin has said it would not be appropriate for him to comment on Brady’s position.

Brady has kept a low profile following the airing of a BBC documentary “This World: The Shame of the Catholic Church." The documentary raised concerns over the fact that Brady had failed to warn the church, parents and victims about notorious paedophile Father Brendan Smyth, during the 1970s.

After the documentary was aired, Brady faced calls from politicians and public figures to consider stepping down from his position as leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland.

The documentary revealed that Brady, along with two other priests, had received information from Brendan Boyland, a 14-year-old sexual abuse victim. The information he gave was not passed on.

Following the documentary’s airing on the BBC, Martin called on a full independent, international inquiry into the crimes of convicted, now deceased, paedophile Brendan Smyth.

Brady publicly apologized to Boland. He claims he has the support of his fellow clergy. However, last week only 20 out of the 150 invited priests from his diocese, Armagh, attended a pray meeting he had organized.

It has been revealed that 356 allegations or suspicions have been made against 10 unnamed "serial abusers" over the past six decades.

Other information which emerged at the annual child protection update of the Archdiocese of Dublin was that over the past 60 years, 356 allegations have been made against ten unnamed “serial abusers” in the Church. Five of these members of the clergy were convicted and two of them have since died.

Further details reviewed include the fact that in 2011 there were four allegations made against priests. Over the last 70 years, 98 priests have had allegations against them.

The gathering also heard that so far the sexual abuse crisis in the Church has cost them over $19 million (15.2m euros).

“While the majority of allegations of abuse reported to us now, relate to sexual abuse which may have occurred many years ago, it is still crucial to be vigilant and to work to ensure standards are maintained," said the Director of the Child Safeguarding and Protection Service in Dublin.