Minister for Children Barry Andrews is set to publish the long-awaited audit on Catholic Church dioceses, following a discussion on its contents at the Cabinet’s first meeting of the new year.

The audit will include a HSE examination of child protection activities in the diocese of Cloyne, where a separate report by a child protection board concluded safety measures were “inadequate and in some respects dangerous”.

A spokesperson for Mr Andrews last night confirmed that senior Church figures had not completed part of the HSE report in late 2006 — sent to them as questionnaires — for legal reasons.

“Bishops did not carry out a particular section as they said legal frameworks did not exist for them to complete it,” the spokeswoman said.

The audit will be published this afternoon following continued calls for its release by child rights advocates and victim abuse support groups.

Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin yesterday said he welcomed its publication.

“I am happy that we are getting the report. I was anxious it would come out,” Dr Martin said.

It remains unclear if the report will give Cloyne a clean bill of health however. Mr Andrews is certain to meet calls for action on the recent scandal that has dogged the diocese of Bishop John Magee.

Victim support groups have been invited to today’s press conference.

Meanwhile, the Government is expected to agree to calls for an early Dáil debate on the Cloyne controversy.

Government chief whip Pat Carey yesterday told the Irish Examiner that he would come to an agreement with other party chief whips on a scheduled date.

“We’ll probably have one early,” he said, indicating the discussion on Cloyne could be soon after the Dáil returns on January 27.

Labour TD Seán Sherlock this week called for a Dáil debate on why the report — which was in the possession of Minister for Children Barry Andrews — was not published for six months.

The deputy also called on the Government to refer the handling of the Cloyne allegations to a special commission of investigation.

Mr Sherlock urged the Government to refer the situation in Cloyne to the Dublin Archdiocese Commission of Investigation in relation to current child protection practices.