Letter shows 'Grace' remained in home after foster father lobbied Michael Noonan

The foster father of Grace directly lobbied Michael Noonan when he was minister for health, claiming she was in a “happy and secure” home.

The Irish Examiner has seen a copy of the letter, which was sent following a decision by health officials to remove her, amid concerns about alleged sexual abuse of minors at the home in 1996.

Documents seen by this newspaper show how the foster family, in a breach of the rules, sought Mr Noonan to intervene to keep Grace — an intellectually disabled minor — in the home.