Kenny apologises to Grace as new inquiry to examine Noonan’s involvement
TAOISEACH Enda Kenny has said the treatment of Grace is “a disgrace to us as a country”.
Speaking in the Dáil, Mr Kenny said: “The very least this House can do is apologise to Grace and her family.”
The Government is to establish a Commission of Investigation to examine the disturbing case, with Disabilities Minister Finian McGrath bringing terms of reference to Cabinet next week.
Mr McGrath said the upcoming inquiry would examine involvement in the foster home case of Finance Minister Michael Noonan, who held the health portfolio in the mid1990s.
He said the matter would be examined “closely and objectively” but Mr McGrath added: “I don’t think there’s any concerns there.”
One report on the case published by the HSE was unable to determine why a decision taken in April 1996 to remove Grace from the home – due to the sexual abuse allegation against her male carer – was later overturned.
The Devine Report detailed how the foster parents wrote to Mr Noonan that August in an effort to appeal her removal. There is no suggestion he intervened on their behalf.
Mr Noonan’s spokesman last night said the minister “has nothing to add to what he has already placed on the public record on this matter”.
He has previously strongly denied any wrongdoing.
The Department of Health has also insisted that Mr Noonan did not seek to influence the decision in the case during his time as minister.
Mr McGrath was asked by reporters if he could guarantee that similar cases aren’t happening now, given that some of the staff involved remained in the childcare services. He replied that “there’s no guarantee”, but added: “I’ll do my damnedest to ensure that every single child service is protected.”
In the Dáil, Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald asked Mr Kenny about the status of criminal investigations relating to the case.
Mr Kenny said he didn’t have information on that but he expects Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald would update the Dáil after being briefed by gardaí.