In 1995, the Irish National Broadcaster, RTÉ, initiated inquiries with the college authorities into an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor male. The senior management at St Patrick's College, Maynooth initially said that this had not occasioned Mgr Ledwith's departure, however in response to later revelations in the press Ledwith's successor, Monsignor Dermot Farrell, and the Episcopal Trustees of the College issued a joint statement in 2002 admitting that an allegation had been made. Ledwith, they noted, had denied this strenuously but the College authorities had nevertheless commenced an investigation, and his Bishop, Dr Brendan Comiskey, had at the time informed both the Gardaí and the relevant Health Board.