A number of years ago the respected BBC Panorama programme revealed horrific cases of child abuse perpetrated by UN human rights staff in Africa. It was also revealed that the UN human rights commissioner at the time of the atrocities was a prominent feminist politician who had once held the office of president of Ireland.

Now, there was no implication that the individual was in any way aware of the abuses. Nevertheless, in the context of the recent cases of abuse in Ireland relating to the Catholic church, it's interesting that many liberal/feminist commentators are rightly demanding the highest standards of accountability for Catholic churchmen.

Could this be a case of liberal/feminist double standards? Perish the thought.

Eric Conway,

7 Balreask Village,

Navan,

Co Meath