Review of Laffoy ‘not department’s role’

OPPOSITION parties have called for the Department of Education to be prevented from conducting a review of the Laffoy Commission amid claims that some of its officials were aware of abuse of children in State institutions since the 1960s.

Fine Gael and Labour yesterday argued that the department’s knowledge of such incidents should preclude it from any further role in reviewing the commission’s workings because it created a major conflict of interest. It followed a report in the Sunday Business Post that the Laffoy Commission had uncovered evidence that senior civil servants in the Department of Education knew that children in State-run homes were being abused by paedophiles over several decades.

It alleged that no action was taken to remove known abusers. It also claimed that other departmental files appear to be missing or incomplete.

Opposition parties seized on the claims as further evidence of Government mishandling the issue after the Commission’s former chairwoman, Ms Justice Mary Laffoy, cited a lack of co-operation and delays by the Department in providing the Commission with requested documentation as a main reason for her resignation.

Fine Gael education spokesperson Olwyn Enright said questions about the department’s knowledge of past incidents of abuse meant it should have no role in the current review of the Commission’s operations. “The Laffoy Commission is investigating the actions of the Department of Education as well as the action of others. For this same department to be handling the setting up of a review of the Laffoy Commission is extremely worrying.”

Green Party leader Trevor Green also criticised Taoiseach Bertie Ahern for refusing to accept that a conflict of interest existed in relation to the Department of Education’s involvement with the inquiry.

“The alienation and pain felt by victims of child abuse is made worse when the Government seems unable to distinguish between Fianna Fáil self-interest and the common good,” said Mr Sargent. “The Taoiseach seemed more inclined to hang Minister Dempsey out to dry than to be a leader himself and take control of the Commission.”

The future of the commission faces another hurdle tomorrow when representatives of victims groups hold talks with departmental officials to discuss the controversial proposal that the Commission’s Investigation Committee limit inquiries to “sample” cases.