Pope Francis will visit a prison in Ireland when he visits the country next August, Dublin's Archbishop has revealed.

Speaking to the Irish Independent at St Mary's Pro Cathedral in Dublin, Diarmuid Martin said the Pope would also 'want to meet priests when he comes' and 'will want particularly to meet with the poor'.

'He will, without any doubt, visit a prison,' the archbishop added, in the first indication of what the Pope's agenda will be in Ireland.

The exact itinerary of the trip remains unclear until the Vatican officially confirms the visit is going ahead, which it is expected to do in January.

Dr Martin is president and host of the international World Meeting of Families, which takes place from August 21 to 26 next year, at which the Pope will preside at the concluding Mass, most likely to be held in Croke Park on Sunday, August 26, according to the Irish Independent.

'He is coming for the World Meeting of Families, that is his primary purpose. He will focus on the many difficulties and challenges families have to face,' Dr Martin said yesterday.

'He doesn't want big shows, he wants to be just present with those who are marginalised,' Dr Martin added.

Archbishop Martin said that he would like Pope Francis, who has visited a number of prisons in Italy, 'to come to areas, particularly of Dublin, where he can see poor communities, hit by poverty or difficulties'.

The Irish Independent speculated that this may suggest the Archbishop is lining up a visit to the inner-city communities of his own parish.