Department of Education's role: The Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, has rejected calls for his Department to cut its ties with the child sex abuse inquiry following the breakdown in relations with Miss Justice Laffoy.
Abuse support groups said yesterday it was inappropriate for the Department, which is being investigated by the inquiry, to also be the Department responsible for resourcing the body.
Letters published this week between the former head of the inquiry, Miss Justice Laffoy, and the Department show evidence of a series of clashes relating to resources, delays and alleged interference in the process.
However, a spokesman for the Minister said it was normal that Government Departments were responsible for inquiries into areas they were responsible for and there were no plans to change this.
"From our point of view, it's normal for us to sponsor the inquiry, in much the same way as the Department of Defence sponsored the army deafness and the Department of Health sponsored the hepatitis C inquiry and so on," a spokesman said.
"Ultimately, judges are independent and they have the power to compel documents from us. In terms of who is accountable to the Dáil, it is the Minister most closely associated with the area being investigated."
However, Mr Colm O'Gorman of the One in Four abuse support group said responsibility for the inquiry should be switched from the Department of Education to the Department of the Taoiseach.
He said that, unlike other inquiries, there were officials in the Department who would be the subject of investigation in relation to at least three alleged cases of institutional abuse.
"Because it is the sponsoring Department, it is open to charges that it has been obstructing the work of the commission. Effectively, we have the commission investigating the Department, which is in turn investigating the work of the commission."
Mr O'Gorman said the Department of the Taoiseach could take over as the sponsoring Department, as the Departments of Health, Education and Justice are linked to the commission's investigations.
Ms Christina Buckley of the Aislinn Survivors' Group, a support group for abuse victims, also said the Minister for Education should not be involved in the inquiry.
"We would have to question whether Minister Dempsey is the most suitable minister for this portfolio. He appears to lack sensitivity and empathy. The Taoiseach should reconsider that question," he said.
Both groups also said a review of the inquiry needed to be conducted in a transparent manner, as the Government appeared to be indicating that it knew already what the result would be.
Mr James McGuill, whose solicitor's firm represents around 100 abuse victims, said the review of the inquiry could be carried out by an independent or international body to ensure all interested parties had confidence in a changed version of the commission.
"There needs to be an untainted, independent and objective review of the commission, which rules out the Department of Education, if it is going to be accepted," he said.
He said that following the publication of Miss Justice Laffoy's letters, it was clear the Department of Education had been "biased" by "frustrating" victims over the past five years.
