Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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A number of months ago, we raised an issue regarding a man who used to run a certain summer college. He was also a teacher working with the VEC and worked with number of Irish language organisations. There was a difficulty in that there have been allegations of child abuse made against him. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, intimated approximately two months ago that there were to be three internal investigations, namely, one by the Garda, one in the Department of Education and Skills and the other in the HSE. I raised this issue last week with the Minister and he told me that the ongoing Garda investigation was under his remit but that the one by the Department of Education and Skills was not. I am now trying to ascertain the current position with regard to the Department of Education and Skills. What are the terms of reference of the investigation being carried out by that Department? How far back is the internal inquiry to go? Some of the allegations of abuse date from 1955.

A trial was initiated in respect of this individual, but it fell on several technical grounds. That particular case related to victims who were in an educational setting. As well as working in the Irish language organisation I mentioned, the perpetrator also worked as a teacher for a number of years and was involved in various educational initiatives. It is important in this context to establish the scope and breadth of the internal investigation being conducted by the Department of Education and Skills. I am in contact with several of this man's victims who are distraught by what happened to them and feel that because he passed away in recent months, they will never got justice.

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for affording me the opportunity, on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, to clarify the position in respect of the matter raised. The investigation conducted by the Department of Education and Skills relates to an analysis of files held in that Department. This was done on foot of recent media reports concerning allegations of child abuse involving a former teacher and head of a summer college. Under the Education Act 1998, the Department of Education and Skills provides funding and policy directions for schools. Neither the Minister nor the Department has legal powers to investigate allegations of child abuse, statutory responsibility for which rests with the Health Service Executive and An Garda Síochána.

The media reports concerning allegations against the person in question are of great concern. The Department has standard procedures in place for dealing with any allegations of child abuse that are brought to the attention of its staff. Under these procedures, the Department does not make any judgment on the allegations brought to its attention but instead ensures that the details thereof are immediately passed on to the relevant investigatory authorities, including the school authorities, the HSE and An Garda Síochána. The analysis of records conducted by departmental officials shows one notification of concern regarding the individual in question, which was reported to the Department in 2012. This was dealt with in accordance with the Department's procedures and reported at that time to the HSE and An Garda Síochána. No other record was found from the analysis of files in the Department. Departmental officials are, however, in ongoing co-operation with the Garda's investigation into the matter.

In regard to child protection arrangements for primary and post-primary schools, the most recent update of these procedures was done in September 2011 in order to reflect the updating of the Children First national guidance published in July 2011. These updated procedures incorporate significant improvements to the previous school guidelines and are intended to ensure consistent and uniform implementation of the Children First guidelines across all schools.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the Minister of State's reply on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills. He indicated that there is only one confirmed report of a complaint against the individual in question. I appreciate that this is not within the Minister of State's remit, but he might ask the Minister to confirm the scope of the departmental investigation. One of the cases that was brought forward related to events in 1955. Has the Department examined files from that far back to ensure there were no other complaints made against the individual in question? Whatever information is there must be brought into the open. Several of the individuals who contacted me are of the view that there might be complaints going back even further.

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I will raise the Senator's concerns with the Minister and ask him to reply directly.