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The 71-year-old Bishop revealed that he’d been battling serious illness for the past 2 years.

Tributes poured in to Bishop of Waterford and Lismore Dr William Lee on Tuesday following the announcement of his resignation due to ill health.

The 71-year-old Bishop revealed that he'd been battling serious illness for the past two years and said he was advised to retire from office. While he admitted his ill health had impacted greatly on his ministry he said he found the decision to retire very difficult as he had hoped to continue his work.

Bishop Lee, from Newport in Co Tipperary, was ordained on July 25, 1993. He is one of Ireland's longest serving bishops. He's been Bishop of the Waterford diocese for two decades.

In a statement released on Tuesday, he said that it was with reluctance and sadness that he'd come to the decision to retire. "I have been very happy and blessed amongst you, the priests, religious and people of the diocese," he stated.

Describing his years as Bishop "fulfilling and, as well, challenging," he said it was a great privilege for him to be Bishop of Waterford and Lismore. "It is a long time and you have been very patient with my shortcomings," he said.

His letter of resignation to Pope Francis 1 has been accepted by the Vatican.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath, said Bishop Lee had fulfilled his role "with quiet dignity and grace."

"I am sure that I join with many people in the Diocese who will be both sad to see Bishop Lee retire and who will, at the same time, be happy that he can now take the time to focus on building up his physical health for a long and happy retirement. The Holy Father Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has already shown us that it can be a wise and prudent move to gracefully withdraw from the demands of the pastoral ministry when one no longer feels capable of fulfilling that function," Deputy McGrath said.

Bishop Lee issued an apology three years ago for his handling of a complaint of clerical child sex abuse. He had chosen not to take a priest out of ministry after receiving a complaint that the man had sexually abused children. He'd received the complaint shortly after he'd been appointed Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.

Deputy McGrath noted that systems and practices put in place to safeguard children in the Waterford and Lismore diocese under the leadership of Bishop Lee since were commended in the Review of Safeguarding Practice and said he was to be congratulated for that.

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