Commission will conclude in four years, says minister

EDUCATION Minister Noel Dempsey predicted yesterday that a revamped Commission into Child Abuse will complete its work within four years.

Outlining the Government's controversial proposals to change the remit of the Commission, Mr Dempsey also revealed that the Cabinet had already identified its choice as chairperson to succeed Justice Mary Laffoy and steps were "in train" to approach that person. He would not be drawn on the identity of the replacement, or whether it was a judge.

Rattled by the latest controversies to hit his Cabinet, the Taoiseach appealed to his party to back the Government and chastised backbenchers who criticised ministers' performances. Speaking at Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting in Sligo, Mr Ahern told TD and senators to keep their "heads up" and reassured them that the economy was still performing strongly.

The Government's plans for the Commission were immediately dismissed by opposition parties.

As his party's analysis of the Laffoy correspondence concluded that costs rather than the victims drove the Government's agenda on the issue, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the new proposals do not move the Commission forward one inch.

Proposing a motion of the no confidence in the Government, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said the plan was a crisis-driven regurgitation of measures previously considered inadequate.

While abuse groups continued to express concern about the future of the inquiry, Minister Dempsey said the new chairperson should be in a position to take over from Justice Laffoy, once she steps down after completing her interim report in November.

After announcing the Government's proposals on the way forward for the Commission, the investigative committee of which has been suspended because of the review process, the minister said he hoped the legislation would be in place by Spring, 2004, and the Commission would complete its work in two to three years of that date.

The Government proposal contained details of some of the first review. These include provisions to allow the admission of documents in evidence to reduce the number of lengthy and adversarial oral hearings as well as giving the Commission power to make orders that parties who "conduct themselves unreasonably" will have to bear their own costs.

However, it is the second review, as yet unpublished, that will contain controversial proposals substantially to change the remit of the Investigation Committee. The minister is known to favour "sampling" whereby a small number of the allegations against an institution or an individual will be heard.

Defending the review process, the minister maintained he was "more concerned about getting it right than getting it fast."

The completion of amending legislation depends on the outcome of the High Court case taken by the Christian Brothers challenging the constitutionality of the Act which set up the Commission, he said.

The challenge also alleges the constitutional rights of individual brothers, including those dead, will be infringed by the Commission's investigation and report