The proposed statutory inquiry into the Dublin archdiocese is to be expanded to carry out an independent examination of every other diocese in the Republic, to establish whether there are current child protection concerns relating to serving priests.
The audit is to run as a parallel module to the inquiry, which will be investigating primarily the response of the church authorities to allegations of sexual abuse against more than 70 priests in the Dublin area.
It is envisaged the examination will then recommend whether or not other dioceses should be the subject of a full statutory investigation by the inquiry.
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell is expected to bring proposals to Cabinet next Tuesday on the expanded inquiry. The Irish Times has also learned that Circuit Court judge Yvonne Murphy has been asked to chair the inquiry.
It is not expected the audit will look at every file on record in each diocese relating to child abuse allegations, but will seek to establish whether dioceses currently have adequate child protection measures.
Specifically, the inquiry is expected to examine whether priests against whom serious allegations of child abuse have been made have been allowed to continue in ministry in recent years and whether this has placed children at risk.
The plan to expand the Dublin inquiry follows remarks by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in the Dáil last week, when he said an audit of other dioceses would take place following revelations in the Ferns inquiry report.
The report found there had been allegations against 27 clerics from more than 100 people, and that in many cases priests had been able to continue in ministry right up until three years ago.
Minister of State with responsibility for children Brian Lenihan has also written to Catholic bishops asking them whether their current child protection policies are in line with those introduced in Ferns in 2002.
These require that any priest accused of child abuse stand aside pending an investigation.
Plans to expand the Dublin inquiry followed a lobbying effort by victims groups, including One in Four.
It said it had concerns that unless the audit was carried out independently through a statutory inquiry, it could result in bishops being responsible for carrying out a self-audit.