There have been at least 100 cases of clerical sex abuse reported in Italy in the past 10 years, a top ranking church official has said.

Mariano Crociata, the second-highest ranked official in the Italian bishops conference, however, declined to say how many of the cases resulted in any action against the priests who were investigated.

'It's a number that gives you an idea of the situation,' he said Tuesday.

The Catholic Church has been engulfed in a scandal involving sex abuse accusations by paedophile priests in countries including the US, Germany, Austria and Italy.

The Vatican has also been accused of covering up sex abuse charges by not taking action against suspected paedophile priests or turning them over to police.

Crociata said Italian law did not require the Catholic Church to report the suspected priests to police.