Some 46 priests were dealt with in the Commission of Investigation report.

In total, the commission received information about complaints, suspicions or knowledge of child sex abuse in respect of 172 named priests and 11 unnamed priests.

However, if all of the cases were to be investigated, it is likely the commission's work would have had to continue for several more years.

Of the 46, just 11 have been named. The others have been given pseudonyms to protect their anonymity. Some may face charges in the future, some died before allegations could be fully tested and others were not prosecuted, even though evidence was gathered against them.

The following are examples of the cases investigated:

Fr James McNamee

McNamee built a swimming pool in his back yard while he was parish priest in Crumlin in the 1970s, so he could fondle young boys. He would get the boys to swim naked and would sit them on his knee for “a chat”. McNamee settled out of court with one victim for £100,000 in the mid-1990s.

Fr Edmondus*

Edmondus abused young children between the ages of eight and 11 at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The commissioner turned the matter over to the Archbishop John Charles McQuaid. Edmondus was referred to a doctor, but no action was taken to inform hospital authorities.

Fr Patrick Maguire

The 82-year-old Columban Father is a convicted child sex abuser, and has served prison terms in Ireland and the UK.

The commission found many complaints were largely ignored or avoided over a period of 20 years.

Fr Donal Gallagher

Alcoholic Gallagher was 58 when he died in 1994. The Vincentian priest served in a Dublin parish between 1975 and 1979 and was a teacher and chaplain to a secondary school.

The commission said it was aware of 14 complaints of child sexual abuse against Gallagher, but that it was likely he had abused many more.

It found the allegations were not properly investigated and questioned the attitude of a Garda sergeant involved, who believed there was only a slim chance of a successful prosecution.

Fr Noel Reynolds

Reynolds, who died in 2002 aged almost 70, told a diocesan official about his paedophilia in 1996 — after abusing over 20 children since the 1970s — but even the shocking admission did not lead to a thorough Church investigation. The DPP was prepared to prosecute Reynolds, until the priest's solicitor made representations about his deteriorating health.

Fr Ivan Payne

Ivan Payne is a convicted serial child sex abuser who worked as chaplain to Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin.

The commission said it was aware of 31 people who had made allegations against him, 16 of whom say they were abused when he held the position at the hospital.

Fr Horatio*

Now retired from ministry, Horatio faced complaints of abusing a 15-year-old boy he met in a gay club in 1980. He admitted the incident to Monsignor Richard Glennon and Bishop Laurence Forristal, but insisted he thought the young boy was 18. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin asked Horatio to step down from his ministry and passed over all information held by the Archdiocese to the gardai.

Fr Cicero*

Cicero, who was 63 when he died in 2002, was the chaplain of an inner-city parish.

In the mid-1980s he would invite young girls back to his house. He had a personal computer and was an expert programmer.

He developed a computer programme that commanded the girls to remove their socks and tops, to kiss each other and to kiss him.

Complaints were finally referred to gardai in April 2002, but the priest had died before an investigation could take place.

Fr Harry Moore

In February 1999, a man complained to gardai that Moore had sexually abused him while he was a priest attached to Bayside parish between 1983 and 1985.

Moore, now aged 73, was charged with 18 counts of sexual assault, including buggery, in 2000. The charges were later reduced to four and in July 2004 he pleaded guilty to two charges of buggery and was sentenced to seven years in jail.

Fr Septimus*

Septimus has had restrictions placed on him by the Archdiocese since 1997, so he cannot come into contact with children following a series of complaints of abuse.

The commission said it was aware of 17 complaints, mainly related to the beating of boys.

A further complaint of a similar nature was received in 1995 and gardai began an investigation. However, the DPP recommended no prosecution.

Fr William Carney

Carney, a serial sexual abuser of children, both male and female, was dismissed from the clerical state in 1992.

The commission said it was aware of complaints or suspicions of child sexual abuse against him in respect of 32 named individuals.

As a teacher he had access to children in residential care, took groups on holiday and went swimming with groups of children.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault in 1983.

The Archdiocese has paid compensation to six of his victims.

Fr Tom Naughton

More than 20 complaints of child sexual abuse have been made against Naughton, according to the commission. He has twice been convicted of child sexual abuse.

Fr Dominic Savio Boland

The Capuchin priest, whose real name is John Boland, is a convicted child sex abuser.

He is now living in one of the order's houses in Ireland, with restrictions on his activities and ministry.

The first allegation against him was made in 1989, when it was claimed he fondled a 13-year-old boy. The head of the order decided to “look after everything” by getting counselling for the boy and getting a psychiatrist for Boland.

Fr Benito*

Fr Benito, a former teacher, is still in ministry in the Archdiocese.

A brother and sister complained to gardai in 2001 that they were sexually abused by Benito.

Fr Frank McCarthy

McCarthy used his position as a seminarian to target children's homes which they knew housed vulnerable children.

Children were allowed to visit McCarthy's home and go on holiday with him.

McCarthy was convicted in 1997 after he pleaded guilty to abusing an orphan and the young victim from Dunlavin.

He was given a suspended sentence and was later allowed say mass at a Dublin convent.

* denotes pseudonym