THE Catholic Church and Irish Government covered up decades of brutal sexual abuse and beatings by priests and nuns on thousands of children in state care, one of the most damning reports on clerical abuse revealed.

A nine-year investigation found a catalogue of disturbing and chronic sexual, physical and emotional torture inflicted on disadvantaged, neglected and abandoned youngsters by both religious and lay staff.

The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse said government officials, those in control of Catholic dioceses, and Congregations of Religious Orders colluded in a culture of silence, turning a blind eye to the violence.

As far back as the 1940s, school inspectors reported broken bones and malnourished children but no action was taken, while tens of thousands of state files on abuse allegations have disappeared.

Catholic Primate of All-Ireland Cardinal Sean Brady apologised and said he was ashamed.

"It documents a shameful catalogue of cruelty, neglect, physical, sexual and emotional abuse, perpetrated against children," he said.

"I am profoundly sorry and deeply ashamed that children suffered in such awful ways in these institutions."

Paedophilia was endemic in boys' industrial schools. Young pupils suffered rapes, flogging, had their heads shaved as punishment and were openly beaten as a ruthless deterrent to others.

Girls were hit with sticks and rods all over the body, and many suffered sex attacks from lay staff while nuns forced them into workshops from morning until night.

Despite the findings of the harrowing 2500-page report, in which names of abusers have been changed, no one will be prosecuted.

Judge Sean Ryan, chair of the Commission, said sex abuse was persistent in boys' schools but warned: "It is impossible to determine the full extent."

The inquiry revealed - as demonstrated in other sex abuse investigations in the Catholic Church - that paedophiles were moved from school to school each time their behaviour was uncovered.

The report described a Victorian model of childcare that failed to adapt to 20th century conditions.

The commission heard evidence from almost 2000 people who were detained in 216 institutions.

But victim John Walsh, of leading campaign group Irish Survivors of Child Abuse, called the report a hatchet job that did not investigate why thousands of youngsters were detained unlawfully.

"The little comfort we have is that they acknowledged and vindicated the victims who were raped and sexually abused," said Mr Walsh.