Emerging from a ninety-minute meeting in Pope Benedict XVI's private library, leading church figures from Ireland are expecting to see changes in the aftermath of a sex abuse scandal that has recently rocked Irish Catholics.

"I think that we are looking at a very significant reorganization of the Church in Ireland," said Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin after the meeting.

The meeting was called by the pope to discuss the widespread sexual abuse of children by clergymen in Ireland, which was reportedly covered up by the church in Ireland for decades.

In a statement released by the Vatican, the pope said he shares the "outrage, betrayal and shame felt by so many of the faithful in Ireland (over) these heinous crimes."

Decades of abuse

The investigation, known as the Murphy report, revealed that not only was sexual abuse of children by priests in Ireland prevalent from 1975-2004, but that the Archdiocese of Dublin was aware of the situation and maintained a policy of "don't ask, don't tell."

In the Vatican's statement, it said the pope felt "profound regret at the actions of some members of the clergy who have betrayed their solemn promises to God, as well as the trust placed in them by the victims and their families, and by society at large."

The pope is reportedly planning to issue a letter to Irish Catholics. It would be the first time the pope had delivered an official document on the issue of child abuse within the church.

Previously, the pope has issued apologies to victims of sexual abuse from clergy members in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

mz/AFP/Reuters

Editor: Kyle James