Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of files that existed in his Department relating to a person (details supplied) in County Laois; when each of these files started; the reason they were kept in separate locations; the person who had official responsibility for each file; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24043/09]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when a complaint against a person (details supplied) in County Laois was first made to his Department in respect of incidents at a school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24044/09]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a complaint against a person (details supplied) in County Laois investigated by his Department between 1964 and 1966 was not acted upon; the reason such a complaint was never acknowledged in response to inquiries from public representatives and media; the reason he continues to contend that the first notification it had of complaints against this person was in 1982; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24045/09]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a file on allegations against a person (details supplied) in County Laois at a school was given by him to the Garda, when the Garda investigated the aforementioned person in the period 1996 to 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24046/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 175 to 178, inclusive, together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the person to whom she refers served as Principal in Rath National School during the mid-1960's. On the 2nd March 1965, the Department received a letter from a parent of children who were attending the school in question, in which she complained of the "infliction of unnecessary punishment" on schoolchildren and cited a number of incidents involving her own children and the person in question.

The complaint was investigated by the Department at the time in accordance with its guidelines and it was found that Rule 96(1) and 96 (3) which deal with the excessive use of corporal punishment was breached. In this regard, a letter was issued from the Department to Mr Dunne and copied to the manager advising that the Department expects Mr Dunne to comply more strictly with the terms of Rule 96(1) and (3).

In September 1997, the Gardaí in Tullamore, Co. Offaly wrote to the Department of Education (Primary Branch) stating that complaints of incidents relating to this person's tenure in Walsh Island National School were the subject of a Garda investigation and sought details of any complaints the Department might have received during that period. The Gardaí were looking for papers solely in relation to this person's activities during the course of his period of employment in Walsh Island National School and, consequently, details of the 1965 complaints were not sent to Gardaí.

An initial search was fruitless and a reply issued to the Gardaí confirming that there was no record of any complaint having been lodged with the Department at the time of the alleged abuse (1966-1969) in Walsh Island N S. However, in January 1998, a file containing some papers on this person was discovered in Second Level Branch, Athlone, including a letter, sent to the Department on 27th May 1982, alleging sexual abuse of boys by the person in question. In January 1998 copies of these papers were made available to the Gardaí to assist them in their investigation. The handling of this complaint by the Department at the time was not satisfactory. The former Minister Michael Martin T.D. after reviewing the papers at the time stated that "I am firmly of the view that the Department's response to this complaint was seriously lacking and there can be absolutely no excuse by reference to the standards of the time" As a result the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse was specifically requested to look at the Donal Dunne case. At that time, all records, including those relating to the 1965 complaint were forwarded to the Commission.

Donal Dunne served as a teacher in both Primary and Secondary Schools. Consequently, files were held in separate locations as primary files were stored and maintained by Primary Branch and files relating to Second Level teachers were maintained by the Second Level Branch.

I fully accept that the complaint in 1982 was not properly handled. As Deputies are aware the material relating to the complaint was passed on to the Commission and the Commission Report(Chapter 14 of Volume 1) covers the issue. I appreciate very much the courage of those who raise complaints relating to their abuse and the trauma that must be associated with pursuing such complaints which makes the manner in which the complaint was handled in 1982 particularly inexcusable.