The 76-year-old Brother of Charity James Kelly who was jailed for 36 years for sexually abusing young boys in his care in the 1950s and 1960s was freed from the Curragh Prison today.
He will be transferred to an institution where he will receive therapy and counselling. The name of the institution will not be released.
Kelly, otherwise known as Brother Ambrose, was sentenced to 36 years' imprisonment in 1999 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, having pleaded guilty to 18 sample counts of abusing children in the Lota institution in the city.
He abused numerous young boys in his care in Cork, Galway and in Britain by forcing them to perform sexual acts on him.
The Cork Circuit Criminal Court Judge Patrick Moran ordered his release. He said the Brother is to be housed in a place where he would not be in a position to reoffend.
Kelly was jailed for five years last March after 77 additional charges of sexual assault were made against him. However, Judge Moran suspended the last four years of the sentence in light of the cleric's poor health and age.