SURVIVORS of institutional abuse last night attacked the Government and religious groups for setting out ‘paltry’ compensation levels for those who suffered in care throughout their childhood and teenage years.

TWO men who were sexually abused as children by one of the country’s most notorious paedophile priests have received out of court settlements within the past two years, the Diocese of Ferns has confirmed.

THE Government and the gardaí are bracing for a flood of further revelations about clerical child sex abuse as attention turns to dioceses outside Dublin and Ferns, Co Wexford.

IT IS close to a decade since the issue of child clerical sex abuse started to become as common a feature of public debate as the weather.

VICTIMS of child abuse here have flooded a British-based helpline to such an extent that the founder is now going to set up an office in Dublin.

MORE than 100 victims of clerical sex abuse are expected to take part in a new inquiry into the Church's handling of complaints against clerical paedophiles in Co Wexford.

The Conference of Religious in Ireland will decide later today whether to co-operate with the Catholic church’s independent audit of clerical sex abuse allegations.

Dr Eamon Walsh, in his caretaker capacity as Bishop of Ferns, has said he will co-operate in any way he can to establish truth, reconciliation and healing for the victims of Fr Sean Fortune.

The Government has agreed to establish an inquiry into sex abuse by the clergy in the Diocese of Ferns.

A seven-year-old health board study into the handling of sex abuse allegations in Co Wexford was ignored by the authorities, according to reports this morning.

The Government came under growing pressure today to launch an immediate inquiry into a child sex abuse scandal within the Catholic Church as more victims of paedophile priests came forward.

Michael Martin, the Minister for Health, is to meet the victims of Fr Sean Fortune to decide whether to launch an independent inquiry into the abuse scandal.