The Catholic Church and "religious organisations" are to be subjected to a year-long parliamentary inquiry into the handling of criminal abuse of children.

Premier Ted Baillieu today said the inquiry will have powers to compel witnesses to give evidence and to elicit documentary and electronic information and will be conducted by the bipartisan Family and Community Development Committee of Parliament. It is to report to Parliament by April 30 next year.

The Government has come under pressure to hold an independent inquiry virtually since it took office, but the pressure intensified enormously over the past week with revelations in The Age about dozens of suicides linked to sexual abuse by priests.

Mr Baillieu said it was clear there had been a substantial number of established complaints of sexual abuse of children by those who "have taken advantage of positions of authority".

Those calling for a royal commission will disappointed. Attorney General Robert Clark said a parliamentary inquiry "would be less intrusive" and "legalistic".