The diocese’s child protection director, Cleo Yates admitted "we may not have got full and adequate information" from the British authorities on how the priests were being monitored in Ireland.
She also admitted the "UK authorities haven’t taken up the offer that we would help with their monitoring".
The British dioceses oversee the monitoring of the convicted priests. It’s believed such monitoring can include face-to-face meetings in Ireland. Parish priests and the gardaí were made aware of the priests’ history.
Aside from the three convicted priests, another two priests who retired to Cork from the UK had been subject to informal complaints of child abuse.
When a priest retires he may settle wherever he wishes.
However, if there have been complaints or allegations, or if he has been convicted of child abuse, the bishop of the diocese where he was ordained must inform the bishop of the diocese where he wants to settle.
The UK dioceses remain in charge of his monitoring.
Overall, the diocese of Cork and Ross was roundly praised by the NBSCCC for its implementation of Church protection guidelines.
In the diocese’s 68 parishes, there are now 180 people working in the field of child protection.
The audit found that 50 people made complaints against 26 priests in the diocese between 1975 and 2011. All complaints were reported to the HSE and gardaí.
Four priests have been convicted of abuse in this time and 15 have left the priesthood or are out of ministry.
Another 10 priests have been the subject of an allegation and are in ministry or retired.
The vast bulk of the alleged abuse took place in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. The last complaint to the diocese was made last year.
Yesterday, Bishop of Cork and Ross, John Buckley said: "There is no place in the Church for those who would harm the young.
"It is our hope that these crimes of a small number of priests will not invalidate the good work of so many hard-working priests in Ireland. The vast majority of priests are good men who continue to do their job to the best of their ability and, needless to say, are demoralised by the revelations. The task of repairing the damage and restoring trust and building hope lies with each one of us priests working hard through our priestly ministry," he said.
The bishop also complimented the NBSCCC for "its determination to fulfil the mandate given to it of devising and overseeing the implementation of best practice in safeguarding children throughout the Church".