Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland have covered up decades of child abuse to protect the church’s reputation, an expert commission has found after a three-year investigation.

The New York Times reports the investigation “shows clearly that a systemic, calculated perversion of power and trust was visited on helpless and innocent children in the archdiocese.'' This is one of several investigations into child abuse in Catholic-run schools, children's workhouses, and orphanages from 1975 to 2004.

''The perpetrators must continue to be brought to justice, and the people of Ireland must know that this can never happen again,'' the government said, apologizing for its failure to hold church officials responsible for the law.

This is the second government-ordered report of the year to reveal that Irish authorities permitted the Catholic Church to abuse boys and girls throughout much of the 20th century.

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