(CNN) -- The Archdiocese of Dublin and other Catholic Church authorities in Ireland covered up clerical child abuse until the mid-1990s, according to a government-commissioned report released Thursday.



The Dublin Archdiocese Commission of Investigation's 720-page report said that it has "no doubt that clerical child sexual abuse was covered up" from January 1975 to May 2004, the time covered by the report.



"The Dublin Archdiocese's pre-occupations in dealing with cases of child sexual abuse, at least until the mid 1990s, were the maintenance of secrecy, the avoidance of scandal, the protection of the reputation of the Church, and the preservation of its assets," the report said.



"The welfare of children, which should have been the first priority, was not even a factor to be considered in the early stages," it said.



"Instead the focus was on the avoidance of scandal and the preservation of the good name, status and assets of the institution and of what the institution regarded as its most important members -- the priests."



Archbishop Diarmuid Martin apologized Thursday in a news conference. "No words of apology can ever be sufficient," he said.



And Dermot Ahern, Ireland's justice minister, said he felt a "a growing sense of revulsion and anger" as he read the report.



"Bottom line is this: A collar will protect no villain," he said.



The commission was set up in March 2006 to look into allegations of child sexual abuse made against clergy in the Irish capital. Its report was completed in July.



Although the commission said it was not its place to "establish whether or not abuse occurred ... it is abundantly clear ... that child sexual abuse by clerics was widespread throughout the period."



One victim, Marie Collins, said those who covered up the abuse were just as guilty as the perpetrators of the crimes.



"How many people accused of abuse are still sitting in parishes today?" she asked in a Thursday news conference.



The commission examined the histories of 46 priests, who were picked as a sample from 102 who had had complaints or suspicions of child abuse raised against them. Complaints from more than 320 children were leveled against the 46, the report said.



But it said that the number of children abused likely exceeded that.



"One priest admitted to sexually abusing over 100 children, while another accepted that he had abused on a fortnightly basis during the currency of his ministry which lasted for over 25 years," the report said.



"The total number of documented complaints recorded against those two priests is only just over 70."



In its analysis of the 46 priests, the commission said that all four archbishops -- Archbishops John Charles McQuaid, Dermot Ryan, Kevin McNamara, and Desmond Connell -- who served during the time period covered by the report handled the child sexual abuse complaints "badly."



"Not one of them reported his knowledge of child sexual abuse to the Gardai (the Irish police force) throughout the 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s," the report said.



The commission did credit Connell, who took over the archdiocese in 1988, with giving Irish authorities in 1995 the names of 17 priests against whom complaints had been made -- although it called the number incomplete, saying that there was "knowledge within the Archdiocese of at least 28 priests against whom there had been complaints."



They said he was "slow to recognize the seriousness of the situation."



Connell also gave authorities permission to access the archdiocesan files in 2002.



Connell, a cardinal, apologized in a written statement. "I wish to express without reservation my bitter regret that failures on my part contributed to the suffering of victims in any form," he said.



"Although I am all too aware that such apologies and expressions of regret can never be adequate as a response to so much hurt and violation and, in any case, lose their value through repetition, I apologize again now from my heart and ask the forgiveness of those who have been so shamefully harmed."



The
what does the report say what does Archbishop Diarmuid Martin say? Are religious those who abuse minors? what were some of the institutions linked to? in what country did this happen when did abuse take place?
"no doubt that clerical child sexual abuse was covered up" "No words of apology can ever be sufficient," Catholic Church authorities child abuse Ireland from January 1975 to May 2004,
question: what does the report say, answer: "no doubt that clerical child sexual abuse was covered up" | question: what does Archbishop Diarmuid Martin say?, answer: "No words of apology can ever be sufficient," | question: Are religious those who abuse minors?, answer: Catholic Church authorities | question: what were some of the institutions linked to?, answer: child abuse | question: in what country did this happen, answer: Ireland | question: when did abuse take place?, answer: from January 1975 to May 2004,