Pope Francis met with eight Irish survivors of clerical, religious and institutional abuse for 90 minutes on Saturday during the first papal visit to Ireland since 1979, a Vatican spokesman said.

Those who met the pope included Marie Collins and Paul Redmond, two leading campaigners. Some victims of abuse had wanted for Francis to meet such campaigners who they said would challenge him on the Vatican's role in the scandals.

Redmond, who was born in one of Ireland's church-run "Mother and Baby Homes" and adopted at 17-days-old, said in a statement the meeting was cordial and polite and that the pope apologised for what happened in the homes.