Report will be key to scale of the 'Grace' inquiry

Decades of sexual abuse of a woman with severe intellectual disabilities who lived in foster care is alleged to have been covered up. An independent review is set to conclude in the coming days, paving the way for a State investigation.

The Irish Examiner understands the Conor Dignam report, which is examining the ‘Grace’ controversy, is set to be handed to new Health Minister, Simon Harris, and Disability Minister, Finian McGrath, freeing up the Government to act on its pre-election commitment to a full inquiry.

As previously reported by this newspaper, the ‘Grace’ case involves a single foster-care family, in the south-east, which looked after 47 children and adults with severe intellectual disabilities, between 1983 and 2009.