Cardinal Desmond Connell has expressed sincere regret over his appointment of Father Noel Reynolds as chaplain to the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dun Laoghaire, in 1997 without telling authorities there about "concerns" that had been expressed about the priest since 1995.
The concerns related to the priest's inappropriate behaviour with children while parish priest in Glendalough, Co Wicklow.
Meanwhile, a Government spokesman said last night that a non-statutory inquiry into the handling of clerical child sex abuse complaints in Ferns diocese is to be set up by the end of the year.
It follows a preliminary investigation during the summer by Mr George Birmingham SC into what would be the most suitable inquiry for the context.
It also emerged last night that the McCullough inquiry set up last June by the 17 trustee bishops of St Patrick's College, Maynooth, and chaired by Cardinal Connell, may be in major difficulty.
Headed by Mr Denis McCullough SC, it was to investigate events in 1983-84 surrounding unsuccessful attempts by seminarians there to have something done about the inappropriate behaviour of the college vice-president at the time, Mgr Micheál Ledwith, towards colleagues.
They secured the help and support of the college's senior dean,Father Gerard McGinnity. He was forced to take a sabbatical, because of pressure, and not allowed return to Maynooth.
Last night Father McGinnity said he had written to Mr McCullough to say he would not be co-operating with the inquiry. Also, at least three, and possibly more, of the six seminarians concerned have indicated they will not be co-operating either.
In Leinster House the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, said it was too soon to talk of a State investigation into the handling of clerical child sex abuse complaints in the Dublin archdiocese.
However, the Fine Gael spokesman on justice, Mr John Deasy,called for an independent Garda inquiry into the Prime Time revelations.
Labour's justice spokesman, Mr Pat Rabbitte, called for the inquiry recommended by Mr George Birmingham for Ferns to be extended to the Dublin archdiocese.
"In a lengthy statement last night, by way of response to revelations in Thursday's Prime Time programme, Cardinal Connell repeated many of the points from his letter read at all Masses in Dublin two weeks ago
"Incalculable harm has been done to those who were abused. Further scandal has undoubtedly been caused by the fact that, having approached the church in expectation of the best possible care and the most sympathetic response, some people suffered further hurt. We have been slow to understand the depth of their trauma and the nature of their needs," he said.
"Where the appointment of Father Noel Reynolds to the National Rehabilitation Hospital was concerned he accepted that "we should have informed the hospital authorities about the concerns raised at the time of his appointment."
THE INQUIRIES UNDER WAY:
• The Hussey Commission was set up by the bishops to conduct an audit into how all Catholic dioceses handled clerical child sex abuse complaints. It is chaired by retired Judge Gillian Hussey.
• The Birmingham investigation was set up by the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, last April to recommend the most appropriate inquiry into the handling of clerical child sex abuse complaints in the Ferns diocese.
• The McCullough inquiry was set up by the trustees at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, in June to investigate claims that the authorities there had ignored complaints in 1983/4 about the alleged sexual harassment of junior seminarians by College vice-president Mgr Michaél Ledwith.