Independent body urged to probe sex abuse claims

THE Government was last night urged to set up independent investigation teams to probe claims that medical and other healthcare officials used their positions of trust to sexually abuse children.

More than 100 former patients are at the centre of a major investigation into child abuse involving a retired health board dentist.

It emerged that the health board was aware of allegations of abuse against the dentist in the early 1980s but failed to inform the gardaí at the time. An internal investigation into the complaints proved inconclusive.