The Government today formally established the Dublin Archdiocese Commission of Investigation into allegations or complaints of child sexual abuse.
The Commission - which will be chaired by Circuit Court Judge Yvonne Murphy - is expected to conduct an 18 month investigation at a cost of €4.5 million.
The Commission's terms of reference require it to select a representative sample of complaints of abuse made against clergy during the period from January 1975 to May 2004.
It will also examine the nature of the response to those sample complaints on the part of the Church authorities.
The Commission will investigate whether Church or State authorities had suspicions that abuse was taking place
Judge Murphy will be assisted in her investigation by barrister Ita Mangan and solicitor Hugh O'Neill.