Eight priests who faced allegations are out of ministry or left the priesthood, but no clerics have been convicted of an offence since 1975.
Some 34 complaints of child abuse were received by gardaí and 41 by health authorities, the report said.
Overall, Limerick was found to have met 44 of the 48 criteria for safeguarding children in the church.
Some 500 priests have ministered in the diocese of Limerock since the 1940s
The diocese has been without a bishop since Donal Murray resigned in 2009, a fortnight after the Murphy inquiry revealed his failure to investigate complaints against a paedophile priest in the Dublin Archdiocese and branded his mishandling inexcusable.
The inquiry praised Dr Murray, who still holds his title, for putting in place robust safeguards and prompt responses to allegations in Limerick.
It also noted a vacuum in the diocese since his departure and no replacement has been appointed.
“It is very apparent that the continued absence of a bishop in the diocese is not helpful either to the clergy or to the people of the diocese,” said Ian Elliot, chief executive of the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church (NBSCCC).
Mr Elliot noted that church personnel are both fearful and determined to ensure the highest child protection standards.
He said two priests involved in child protection felt the loss of the bishop, the scandals of recent years and constant negative media attention had contributed to a lack of confidence in ensuring child safety.