New Church of Ireland Bishop of Meath and Kildare elected

The Church of Ireland House of Bishops elected a new Bishop of Meath and Kildare at its meeting in Dublin yesterday but the person concerned is not yet being named publicly.

A brief statement from the church last night said the person elected “has understandably asked for time to consider this and a further announcement will be made as soon as possible”.

The Archdeacon of Meath and Kildare, Leslie Stevenson, was elected to the position last January. He was to be consecrated Bishop last May but shortly beforehand announced he was declining the appointment.

Last February it was reported that the Archdeacon, whose first marriage ended in divorce, had a relationship with a woman parishioner in the 1990s while rector at Donaghadee, Co Down.

Following revelations about the affair he resigned from the parish in 1999 and undertook a period “of personal discipline”.

He was subsequently appointed rector of Portarlington in Co Laois and Archdeacon of Meath and Kildare diocese in 2009.