The man who determined whether the Catholic Church should compensate Melbourne clergy abuse victims for almost 20 years thought it would only take six months to handle all their complaints.
Peter O'Callaghan, QC, was appointed the Independent Commissioner of the church's Melbourne Response - its internal process for handling abuse victims' complaints - for a six-month term in 1996.
Mr O'Callaghan, who appeared at the Royal Commission in Melbourne on Tuesday, said he told the church's solicitors and Archbishop Hart that he was optimistic the investigations could be concluded in a short time-frame.
"I was all for expediency if I could achieve it," he said.
After almost two decades and over 351 complaints, Mr O'Callaghan, QC, conceded his initial estimate was "utopian".
He said he had received about five complaints in recent weeks, including one after the Royal Commission had finished its first session in Melbourne on Monday.
Victims have criticised Mr O'Callaghan of discouraging them from reporting their alleged abuse to police and of lacking compassion in their interviews.
During insistent questioning from Chair of the Commission Justice Peter McLellan and supporting counsel Gail Furness, SC, he was pressed on whether he believed the church's cap on compensation - currently capped at $75,000 - was appropriate.
Mr O'Callaghan, a barrister since 1961, acknowledged that victims would have received far more compensation if they pursued civil action than if they sought ex-gratia payments from the Melbourne Response.
Justice McLellan asked him, given his experience as a barrister: "Did you think that was truly the appropriate measure for the church to adopt when dealing with people who were damaged by members of the church?"
Mr O'Callaghan claimed he'd never given it any thought: "I didn't think it was inappropriate and I didn't think it was my business to worry about it."
He noted that the cap was in line with Victims of Crime legislation at the time, which is funded by the state government, and that the compensation panel decided the exact amount to award victims, not him.
The average amount of compensation awarded victims since 1996 is $31,600.
Most of the complaints - 326 - brought by victims to have been upheld by the Melbourne Response.
Mr O'Callaghan was unable to answer a number of questions put to him, including the number of alleged clerical offenders, or how many had been referred to police.
"I'm not a good counter, I'll have to get some help overnight," he said.
He has agreed to provide additional information when the Royal Commission resumes tomorrow.