A Spanish cardinal has angered the Socialist government by suggesting that abortion is worse than the sexual abuse committed in Roman Catholic-run childcare homes in Ireland.

"What happened in some schools is not comparable to the millions of lives destroyed by abortion," Cardinal Antonio Canizares told Spain's TV3 television channel, commenting on the recent scandal in Ireland.

His remarks, carried by the Spanish media yesterday, sparked an angry response from the Socialist government, which this month approved a bill to liberalise the country's abortion law.

"It is very serious and irresponsible to compare sexual abuse of minors to abortion," said Health Minister Trinidad Jimenez.

"We are talking about completely different subjects. Sexual abuse is normally committed against minors against their will and affects their lives in a terrible way," she said.

The Catholic Church has condemned the government's proposed new abortion law, as it had a same-sex marriage law passed in 2005.

Under the proposed sweeping reform unveiled this month, abortions would be allowed for women of 16 years and over up to the 14th week of pregnancy and up to 22 weeks if there is a risk to the mother's health or if the foetus is deformed.

A report issued last week by Ireland's Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse revealed sexual and physical abuse of children in the church-run homes dating back to the 1930s.

Pope Benedict XVI in December named Canizares as new head of the Vatican's liturgical office.