The long-awaited Murphy report into allegations of sexual abuse in swimming has been given to the Attorney General and is expected to be discussed by the Government next week.
The Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr McDaid, received the report from the chairman of the inquiry, Dr Roderick Murphy SC, yesterday. He then sent it to the Attorney General, Mr David Byrne SC, who, according to a spokesman for the Minister, will give it "his most urgent attention".
The Minister has said he intends to publish as much of the report as possible, subject to legal constraints. The Attorney General's main task now will be to decide on which parts can be published. Dr McDaid may face the difficulty that some of its contents could leave him open to legal action from people named in it.
The next scheduled meeting of the Government is on Wednesday, when it is expected that the Attorney General will give his advice on the matter.
However, Dr McDaid also gave undertakings to the victims of Derry O'Rourke and their families, some of whom gave evidence to the tribunal, that they would be consulted before the report is published.
The inquiry was set up following the conviction last January of swimming coach O'Rourke on a number of sex abuse offences against young female swimmers. The Government then suspended funding for the Irish Amateur Swimming Association and announced an inquiry into its handling of allegations against O'Rourke and another coach, Mr George Gibney, who was charged but not convicted.
The inquiry had a difficult birth, as parents and victims wanted a sworn public inquiry. The Government gave early indications that this would happen, but, concerned about its implications for allegations of abuse elsewhere, then opted for a private inquiry instead, headed by Dr Murphy. A large group of parents, represented by solicitors Lavelle Coleman, said they would not co-operate with this inquiry.
Protracted negotiations followed, and, with the appointment of an assistant to Dr Murphy, Ms Fidelma Macken SC, and an offer of £500 towards the legal costs of each victim who required it, the impasse was resolved.
Dr Murphy took submissions and conducted interviews over the next two months, and had compiled 1,300 pages of a report by the end of April. However, he was prevented from completing it by an injunction at the beginning of May from the former president of the King's Hospital swimming club, Mr Michael McCann, who said he was concerned about allegations about him which might be in the report. On May 19th last he withdrew his objections after his lawyers saw the portion of the report relating to him.