Pope Benedict has named five senior Bishops of Irish descent who will conduct the investigation.
He said the officials will visit Ireland to explore deeply questions concerning the handling of cases of abuse and the assistance owed to the victims.
The so-called Apostolic Visitation was first announced in the Pope's letter to the Catholics of Ireland on the abuse in March of this year.
The Pope apologised to all victims of child sex abuse by Catholic priests in Ireland after the Ryan report catalogued how victims suffered both sexual and physical abuse in the Republic of Ireland dating back to the 1940's.
It emerged that the Catholic Church was aware long-term sex offenders were repeatedly abusing children while working in Ireland's church and state-run institutions.
Michael Kelly, deputy Editor of the Irish Catholic said the five chosen officials all are very aware of the situation here.
"I think people will be anxious but it's clear they are not sending over elderly gentlemen that one could easily pull the wool over their eyes.
These are very worldly men and most of them are bloggers they write regularly in newspaper columns, these are savy men and not stereotypical Vatican Cardinals."
The five senior Catholic officials to lead the investigation are:
- Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Retired Archbishop of Westminster, England
- Cardinal Seán O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, USA
- Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, USA
- Archbishop Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, Canada
- Archbishop Terence Prendergast SJ, Archbishop of Ottowa, Canada
Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor said he hoped the Apostolic Visitation will provide Pope Benedict with a thorough analysis of protections in Ireland.
"Putting the safeguarding of children and all vulnerable people at the heart of every aspect of the Church's life is essential," he added.
Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, a campaigner for survivors and for reform in the church, said the Visitation was an important element in the broad process put in place by Pope Benedict to assist the renewal of the church in Ireland.
"Archbishop Martin welcomes in particular the announcement that the Visitation is being asked to evaluate the current response to victims and the quality of the assistance which the Church in Ireland owes to survivors," his spokeswoman said.
The Visitation will begin in the four metropolitan archdioceses - Armagh, Dublin, Cashel and Emly and Tuam - before being extended to other dioceses.
In a statement from Rome, the Vatican said it will begin in the autumn.
"Through this Visitation, the Holy See intends to offer assistance to the bishops, clergy, religious and lay faithful as they seek to respond adequately to the situation caused by the tragic cases of abuse perpetrated by priests and religious upon minors," the Vatican said.
"It is also intended to contribute to the desired spiritual and moral renewal that is already being vigorously pursued by the Church in Ireland."
An Apostolic Visitation is a formal but personal process, initiated by the Holy See, to look into the welfare of a particular aspect of the Church.
Cardinal O'Malley, whose archdiocese is also recovering from clerical sex abuse scandals, said the Church must be unfailingly vigilant in protecting children and young people.
"Our ongoing efforts in the Archdiocese of Boston to ensure their safety will be helpful for the visitation," said Cardinal O'Malley.
"It will also be important to respond to the concerns of the Catholic community and the survivors in the manner that will promote the process of healing."
Archbishop Martin added: "Cardinal O'Malley's experience and personal commitment render him particularly suited to bring ecclesial solidarity to the faithful and the clergy of the Archdiocese of Dublin at this moment, in which the Church in Dublin addresses the truth of a dark moment in its history and undertakes a period of conversion, purification and renewal."
Irish bishops said they would co-operate fully with the Vatican's plan.