The man given the longest sentence for child sex abuse in the history of the State is to be released after serving three years of a 36-year sentence.
But under the terms of his release, the public will never know where he is to be housed.
Brother of Charity James Kelly (76) aka Brother Ambrose, had been due for release earlier this year but a place to house him could not be found.
After a review of his case, he was cleared for release to accommodation in Belgium last February after it emerged that he could not go to Britain upon release but Belgian authorities objected.
However, Brother Ambrose had further charges to answer and was forced to appear in court four days' later. He pleaded guilty to 77 further counts of sex abuse and was subsequently sentenced to five years, four of them suspended.
The sentence had no effect on the time he had to spend in prison because under the terms of a review of the 36-year sentence handed down in November 1999 he could be released within 18 months.
At Cork Circuit Cork today, Judge Moran said he would release Brother Ambrose to an undisclosed location in Ireland. He said the adverse publicity surrounding the case meant he could not reveal the location but assured the Court he was satisfied he would not be able to re-offend at the place where he would be housed.
Judge Moran noted there was no suggestion that Brother Ambrose had committed any offences since 1974.
Earlier this month, the Director of Public Prosecutions lost a High Court appeal to have the sentence increased after Mr Justice Geogheghan ruled there was no error in principle in releasing Brother Ambrose.
Brother Ambrose is due for release next week. He was also convicted of sex offences in Britain.