Agencies mishandled school abuse allegations, Micheál Martin claims

The Department of Education was among agencies criticised in an Ombudsman for Children report on allegations of sexual and physical abuse in an Irish school, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin told the Dáil.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he would report to the House when the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, had completed its investigation into the allegations. “Nobody wants to have this kind of activity not properly investigated,’’ he said.

Mr Martin said there had also been criticism of the Health Service Executive and the school's board of management, while the Garda had conceded its investigation had been inadequate.

He said the report found the department failed “to provide assistance to the board to evaluate the investigative procedures employed and was based on unsound administration’’.

He said he knew the child who made allegations had written to the Taoiseach about the issues. He said the report, which was completed last September, was “a damning indictment’’ of the manner in which the response to the complaint was administered by the board of management, the HSE and the department.

“The Garda has accepted that its original investigation was not up to standard and it is renewing its investigation,’’ Mr Martin said. “I understand further allegations have been received.’’

Mr Martin, who did not name the school, said this had occurred “in 2005, 2006, not 50 years ago, 30 years ago, not 20 years ago’’.

He said the report found allegations of physical abuse were miscategorised as corporal punishment and were not properly investigated by the HSE.

The report had also quoted from the March 2002 school Stay Safe programme, he said.

It read: “The stay-safe programme has been approved by the board of management as a teacher’s aid to be used in accordance with the Catholic ethos, which demands that the law of God and of the Church, and not the child’s feelings, be the guiding principle.’’

Mr Martin said there were fundamental questions to be answered by the three bodies concerned, adding that an independent panel should be set up to investigate “this scandal’’.

Mr Kenny said he was aware of the implications of the ombudsman's report but would like to await the finalisation of the Tusla investigation before making any judgment.

“From that point of view I do not propose at this time to establish an independent investigation into this matter,’’ the Taoiseach said.