The Bishop of Ferns, Dr Brendan Comiskey, has made an undisclosed financial settlement with a victim of Wexford curate Sean Fortune, who committed suicide in 1999.
Fortune had been awaiting trial on charges of sexually assaulting young boys in the late 1970s and early 198Os.
A New Ross solicitor, Mr Simon Kennedy, who represents a number of Fortune's victims, has confirmed that a financial settlement was negotiated and discharged on behalf of one of the men.
He declined to reveal the amount involved, pointing out that a confidentiality clause had been included in the agreement at his client's request.
The Wexford man who received the settlement is now in his early 30s and lives abroad.
He alleged that he was sexually assaulted by Fortune while he served as an altar boy in a Co Wexford parish.
He was preparing to give evidence in a pending criminal trial at Wexford Circuit Court when Fortune died from an overdose of drugs and alcohol at his barricaded home in Bewley Street, New Ross, in March 1999, shortly after being released from Mountjoy Prison on bail.
His allegations against the Gorey-born curate were the subject of an appeal to the Supreme Court by the State after the High Court ruled in favour of an application by the priest to stop the charges proceeding because of the lapse of time involved.
The Supreme Court ruled that the charges should go ahead.
The man was one of the first of Fortune's victims to begin civil proceedings for damages against him, the former papal nuncio, Luciano Storero, and Bishop Comiskey.
Following Fortune's death and the death last year of the papal nuncio, who was pleading diplomatic immunity, Mr Kennedy entered into negotiations with Bishop Comiskey on his client's behalf.
The negotiations on behalf of Bishop Comiskey were conducted by Arthur O'Hagan, solicitors in Dublin, and Mr Peter Charlton SC, and were concluded a few months ago. The financial settlement has been paid.
Mr Kennedy explained the basis of his client's claim was that the defendants knew or ought to have known of Fortune's capacity for molesting young boys and, in his client's view, failed to take appropriate action to protect him.
Bishop Comiskey declined to comment on the settlement.