The following joint statement was issued by Bishop Éamonn Walsh and Bishop Raymond Field on Christmas Eve:
“We, Bishop Eamonn Walsh and Bishop Raymond Field, have this evening informed Archbishop Diarmuid Martin that we are offering our resignation to His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, as Auxiliary Bishops to the Archbishop of Dublin.
“As we celebrate the Feast of Christmas, the Birth of our Saviour, the Prince of Peace, it is our hope that our action may help to bring the peace and reconciliation of Jesus Christ to the victims/survivors of child sexual abuse. We again apologise to them.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have so bravely spoken out and those who continue to suffer in silence.
“We will not be saying anything further at this time.”