The Democratic Unionist Party said today the Catholic Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Sean Brady, may have destroyed years of police community relations in Northern Ireland.
Dr Brady criticised the British government for not getting to grips with the issue of security force collusion with loyalist paramilitaries. Dr Brady also insisted the delay in establishing a public inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane was unacceptable.
His comments provoked a furious response from Mr Ian Paisley Jnr, a Democratic Unionist member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
Mr Paisley said: "This is outrageously intransigent and will send a chill down the spine of any decent-thinking Protestant. His comments are an act of sabotage on the Policing Board, the only working institution in Northern Ireland at this time.
"I fear his comments will set back by years good police community relations," Mr Paisley said.
"It leaves Protestants to conclude that the Roman Catholic Church is now taking the Sinn Féin/IRA line on policing issues, that Brady has set down his prayer book and mass card for a copy of An Phoblacht(Republican News) to get his inspiration from."
Dr Brady's criticisms came in a speech he delivered in London last night entitled "Faith and Identity - A Catholic perspective on Northern Ireland".
The Archbishop, outlining what he regarded as the main issues blocking resolution, urged political parties to go the "extra mile" to bring about police reform.
He said: "I want to put on record recognition and appreciation of what has been achieved and pay tribute to politicians who have stayed with the process.
"But at the same time, may be by naming the obstacle people will begin to accept and see where the responsibility lies for the removal of those."