The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland has come under pressure to resign over his failure to act during an investigation into child abuse.

Cardinal Sean Brady has insisted that he will not step down after a BBC documentary reported that he had failed to inform parents and the authorities of children he knew were being abused by paedophile priest Brendan Smyth.

The documentary, broadcast on Tuesday, said Cardinal Brady received the names and addresses of children being abused by Smyth during the Church’s investigation into the allegations in 1975.

The details of five children were given to Church investigators by then 14-year-old victim Brendan Boland, the documentary reports.

However, no action was taken and it emerged later that Smyth went on to abuse more children after the Church inquiry.

Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore has joined with victims’ groups in calling for Cardinal Brady’s resignation.

He said the controversy amounted to “another horrific episode of failure by senior members of the Catholic Church to protect children”.

“It is my own personal view that anybody who did not deal with the scale of the abuse that we have seen in this case should not hold a position of authority,” he told parliament.

Cardinal Brady said in a statement yesterday that the documentary was “seriously misleading” and had exaggerated his role in the Church inquiry.

He said he was “note taker” during the investigation and had no authority to take action to stop Smyth.

The power to take action against Smyth, he said, lay with the priest’s spiritual superiors.

“I had absolutely no authority over Brendan Smyth. Even my bishop had limited authority over him,” he said.

Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin and Labour’s Education Minister Ruairi Quinn are among the senior political leaders calling upon the cardinal to reconsider his position.