At least 1,100 allegations of sexual abuse committed by members of the Dutch Roman Catholic clergy in the three decades from 1950 have emerged this month, a church official said Saturday.

"According to latest figures, there have been 1,100 accounts," said Pieter Kohnen, a spokesman for the Dutch Catholic church.

The reports have been logged by a commission set up in 1995 by the church to help victims of sexual abuse by the clergy, he added.

Dutch religious leaders on March 9 ordered a "broad, external and independent" investigation of alleged sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests, and apologised to victims.

The announcement was made by the Dutch Religious Conference after a meeting to discuss abuse claims by about 200 alleged victims dating from the 1960s and 1970s.

On Saturday Pope Benedict XVI apologised in a letter for child sex abuse by Irish priests and spoke of the "shame and remorse" he felt over the scandals.

Similar scandals have also emerged in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.