Pope Francis has met eight Irish victims of abuse committed by the clergy, on the first day of his historic trip to Dublin, where he is to participate in the IX World Meeting of Families.

The meeting, which was announced by the Vatican prior to the trip, took place in the Apostolic Nunciature in the Irish capital on Saturday, Efe news reported. The meeting was with "eight survivors of clerical, religious and institutional abuse," Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said in a statement