Doyle hopes Kenny meeting will improve rights
Ms Doyle, whose father walked free from court on Monday despite admitting to raping her for 10 years, hopes to bring along her children to meet Mr Kenny.
“She wants to give him her full story from her side, from her mouth,” said her daughter, Kristel O’Brien. “She wants him to see her and her life and see the repercussions not just on her but on her children as well.”
Although a meeting has not yet been arranged, a spokesperson for Mr Kenny said he expects communication on the issue shortly.
Mr Kenny told the Dáil: “I’m quite willing to meet Ms Doyle to hear her views as a victim of unspeakable horror, as to her perspective on how a victim would see the court system working.
“I can’t comment about the judge in question or about the sentencing, but I’m very happy to meet with Ms Doyle at a convenient time.”
The meeting would take place amid widespread criticism over a lack of sentencing guidelines for sex crimes.
Ms Doyle’s father, Patrick O’Brien, aged 72, of Old Court Avenue, Bray, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to 16 charges of rape and indecent assault.
He was sentenced to 12 years with the final nine years suspended, but was released on bail on Monday pending an appeal.
Mr Kenny urged the Court of Criminal Appeal to deal with the case as quickly as possible, while Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil called for the Government to introduce guidelines to ensure greater consistency.
Mr Kenny has described Ms Doyle as “a courageous victim”.
He added it was in the interest of everybody that the court system works effectively, and that Justice Minister Alan Shatter had already established a working group to consider penal reform, which was announced last September.
Mr Kenny has said there are “inadequacies” within the court system.
The justice working group, chaired by Michael Whelan, a former member of the Prisons Authority Interim Board, will consider all aspects of penal policy, including sentencing.
The group is expected to publish its views late this year, but Mr Kenny said it might be possible to get an interim report sooner.
“That might indicate what people’s views are,” said Mr Kenny. “It’s of interest to everyone that the system works effectively.”
Ms Doyle, from Bray, Co Wicklow, said the sentencing of her father had left her devastated. She felt as though the State had abused her too.
Ms Doyle was raped once a week for a decade from the age of eight. Her ordeal began on the night before her Communion in 1973 and continued to 1982.
