Dempsey rules out transfer of abuse inquiry

EDUCATION Minister Noel Dempsey faces further criticism from victim support groups after he ruled out transferring responsibility for the Child Abuse Commission from his department.

In his first reaction to the highly critical report by the inquiry’s former chairperson Ms Justice Mary Laffoy, Mr Dempsey said he did not accept that his department hampered or failed to co-operate with the commission.

Acknowledging that there were delays and difficulties with the progress of the inquiry, the Minister said they had resulted from all parties being involved in “a learning curve” caused by the ambition of the legislation used to establish the commission.