The Taoiseach has called on the public not to turn their backs on the Catholic Church after the latest series of sex abuse scandals involving members of the hierarchy.
Speaking at the annual Arbour Hill commemoration in Dublin, Mr Ahern said the wrongs carried out must be righted but he warned against shutting the Church out of the community.
In his speech at the Fianna Fail gathering Mr Ahern also spoke about the ongoing peace process in the North and pointed out the good Unionists had done for Ireland over the years.