Cardinal Desmond Connell last night said the Dublin diocese will "co-operate fully with any body of inquiry set up by an appropriate authority" to investigate the diocese’s handling of clerical child sex abuse cases.
In a statement, Dr Connell also argued strongly that the Hussey Commission, set up by the Catholic Church in June and chaired by retired Judge Gillian Hussey, was "fully equipped" to carry out such an inquiry.
Earlier, the Minster for Justice, Mr McDowell, announced a significant stepping-up of Garda efforts to find new evidence and investigate new complaints of clerical child sex abuse that could lead to the laying of criminal charges.
In his statement, Cardinal Connell said there was "entirely understandable anger suffering and bewilderment" following the Prime Time programme on clerical child sex abuse within his diocese.
He added: "I want to repeat the church’s utter abhorrence of the evil; which has been perpetrated and my own deep regret for serious inadequacies in our response".
He said he was "only to well aware, however, that repetitions of such sentiments on my part at this stage may serve little purpose. What is needed, once and for all, is a thorough, independent and fully professional investigation of what has happened".
He also said "the policy of diocese is that reporting to the Gardai is so central that the diocese will not receive any formal complaint unless that complaint can be reported to the Gardai".
Establishing the truth "as an unambiguously and as objectively as possible" was the essential first step in moving beyond "this shameful issue", he said. This was pre-eminently in the interest of victims, but was also in the be3st interests of society at large and of the church itself, he said.
Doubt had been cast on the ability of the Hussey Commission to conduct such an investigation, he noted. As it was set by the Church, it was seen as the Church investigating itself, he said.
"This is mistaken. The Commission was given complete independence, with freedom to decide on its own membership and to amend its terms of reference in whatever way it deemed appropriate. Judge Hussey has chosen her fellow-commissioners solely on the basis of their professional expertise".
However, the diocese would co-operate fully with any body of inquiry set up by an appropriate authority.
"But we remain convinced that Judge Hussey’s Commission ... is fully equipped to carry out such a task," he said.
The Commission is conducting an audit of how clerical child sex abuse has been dealt with in all dioceses, religious institutions and missionary orders.
The Minister for Justice said the Government would establish a State inquiry into clerical sex abuse but a decision on what form it will take may not come until next week.
"Sexual abuse complaints will be fully investigated An Garda Siochana and no resources will be spared in bringing perpetrators to justice."
He told the Dail he is also reviewing criminal law about those who fail to report abuse allegations to see of it adequate.
He said a chief superintendent and additional gardai were being assigned to examine cases and review particular cases to see if further inquiries could lead to preferring criminal charges.
They would examine any new evidence and investigate new complaints.
Mr McDowell rejected what he said was an innuendo in a Dail question yesterday that the Government was being cautious because the Catholic Church was involved.
"I’m not afraid of a belt of a crozier from any direction. I am acting in the prudent interest of the State and the victims," he said.