Sex-abuse row bishops kept on

Two Irish Catholic bishops whose resignations over a child sex abuse report were rejected by the Vatican will still be able to administer Confirmation, it emerged yesterday.

Auxiliary Bishops Eamonn Walsh and Raymond Field will be assigned revised responsibilities in Dublin despite offering to stand down on Christmas Eve in the wake of a damning inquiry.

Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has written to priests informing them Pope Benedict XVI had not accepted the pair's decision to quit.

A Church spokesman said both would remain as auxiliary bishops. "This means they will be available to administer confirmation," he added.