Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Roinnt mhaith uaireanta sa chúpla bliain ó toghadh mé tá mé tar éis cás na líomhaintí gneís i gcoinne Domhnall Ó Lubhlaí nach maireann, bunaitheoir Choláiste na bhFiann, a ardú sna Tithe seo agus muid ag lorg fiosrúchán maidir lenar tharla, maidir le fiosrúcháin na ngardaí agus ar uile. I have raised the case of Domhnall Ó Lubhlaí, deceased, the founder of Coláiste na bhFiann and the allegations of sexual abuse against him by potentially up to 100 people. A number of court cases ensued on allegations going back to 1955 and the cases collapsed because of a lack of evidence brought forward in the courts. I have raised the issue a number of times on the Adjournment, etc., with different Ministers, because this crosses over the Departments of Education and Skills; Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; Health; and Justice and Equality, and An Garda Síochána.

There has been an internal investigation by An Garda Síochána. I am concerned to hear this week on the appointment of the new Garda Commissioner, Nóirín O'Sullivan, that two of the victims in this case received a letter from An Garda Síochána saying that the internal review has concluded and the report will not be made available to them in any form, redacted or otherwise. This is a bad move in light of the statements made about how there will be openness, transparency and a whole new ethos in An Garda Síochána, because it is felt that the cases in court fell apart due to a lack of competence on the part of An Garda Síochána and that evidence was not made available when it was needed. I called at the time for an internal inquiry into that.

It is also interesting that the report has been made available to the Minister since 21 July, I am told. She has not contacted the victims in the case and has not made the report available. I am also told that the internal HSE investigation is being held up because it has not received documents from the Department of Justice and Equality, and An Garda Síochána. I am very concerned about this. I do not think it augurs well for the new regime in An Garda Síochána. I am also aware that the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, would have been aware of this case when she was Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. We still have serious questions to answer. I call on the Leader to arrange a debate on openness and transparency in the Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána on these issues. I also call on him to use his good office to contact the Minister and ask her whether the report will be made available to the victims-----