Vatican City, March 20 (Reuters): Pope Benedict today apologised to victims of child sexual abuse by the Irish clergy and announced a formal Vatican investigation of Irish Roman Catholic dioceses and seminaries hit by the abuse scandal.

In recent weeks, the Vatican has been trying to contain damage as a string of scandals over sexual abuse of children by priests has hit Ireland, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.

“You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry ... I openly express the shame and remorse that we all feel,” he said in an unprecedented letter covering sexual abuse of minors by clergy in Ireland.

The letter, addressed to the people, bishops, priests and victims of abuse in the overwhelmingly Catholic country, did not make any specific reference to the scandals rocking Churches in other countries, particularly the Pope’s native Germany.

“I can only share in the dismay and sense of betrayal that so many of you have experienced on learning of these sinful and criminal acts and the way the Church authorities in Ireland dealt with them,” he said.

But the pope did not address widespread calls in Ireland for a radical restructuring of the church there nor did he say that bishops implicated in the scandal should resign.