The Ferns inquiry was established in March 2003 by then minister for health and children Micheál Martin and had the task of examining the handling of complaints of child sexual abuse involving Catholic priests in the Diocese of Ferns.
Chaired by retired Supreme Court justice Frank Murphy, it was set up in March 2003 following a report by George Bermingham SC making recommendations into a method of inquiring into allegations of paedophilia in the diocese.
Its remit extended beyond priests and clerics and included how members of the Garda Síochána and State agencies acted on complaints. It covered a 40-year period from the mid-60s to the present day. Its main focus was the first 30 years.
Groups such as One-in-Four and individual victims who took legal action put pressure on the Government to set-up an inquiry amid controversy about other publicly acknowledged instances of sexual abuse.
A number of media reports contributed to the pressure, particularly two BBC documentaries, Suing the Popeand a follow-up programme about the founder of One-in-Four Colm O'Gorman.
The inquiry was established on a non-statutory basis to avoid the need for lawyers. It confirmed today that its inquiry had cost €1.86 million.