Abuse survivors call for urgent inquiry into gardaí investigation

An urgent inquiry must be held into An Garda Síochána’s handling of the investigation into convicted Waterford paedophile Bill Kenneally, the solicitor for four survivors of his abuse has said.

Gardaí knew about the abuse allegations in 1987, but Mr Kenneally was not prosecuted until survivors made a complaint to gardaí in 2012.

Mr Kenneally was eventually jailed last year for 14 years and 2 months.

The four men have since produced a dossier detailing alleged systemic failings and deliberate inaction by gardaí and have presented it to Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, who is now considering whether to set up a Commission of Investigation into the allegations.

Solicitor Darragh Mackin of Belfast firm KRW Law, representing the survivors, said there was greater urgency because of recent revelations that the allegations are being investigated internally.

He said a garda directly involved in the original investigation and alleged cover-up is conducting his own internal investigation.

The solicitor has asked Ms Fitzgerald to stop that investigation for fear that further evidence could be covered up or destroyed, and is looking for an inquiry to be ordered as soon as possible.

Speaking to Irish Legal News, Mr Mackin said: “In terms of timescale, we would say that this requires urgent action given the real risk that evidence would be lost or, in a worst case scenario, destroyed.

“It is with regret that we haven’t received a substantive decision in respect of the request for an inquiry.

“If an inquiry isn’t commissioned in the forthcoming weeks, then our clients will have no alternative but to consider proceeding by way of judicial review given these latest developments.”