The former bishop of Ferns Dr Brendan Comiskey has apologised for his "inadequacies" over his handling of abuse claims in his diocese and has asked for forgiveness.
Dr Comiskey was criticised in the Ferns Inquiry report, which said he "failed to recognise the paramount need to protect children as a matter of urgency from potential abusers".
In a statment, issued through his solicitors this evening, Dr Comiskey said he had acknowledged his failings at the time of his resignation in 2002 and offered his apologies to those "who suffered as a result of my failings and whose suffering was increased by them."
Dr Comiskey said he had answered the questions asked of him by the Inquiry team, to the best of his abilities. "The Inquiry has concluded that my responses as Bishop of Ferns were inadequate to many of the allegations of child sexual abuse.
"It has also concluded that I was negligent in my handling of some of these and in particular that of Fr Sean Fortune."
Dr Comiskey added: "While I acknowledge and regret my failings, I emphasise that these were not deliberate but rather were human failings".