Gardaí investigating Michael Noonan’s handling of Grace abuse case

Gardaí are investigating Michael Noonan’s handing of the ‘Grace’ case when he was Minister for Health after receiving a complaint.

Barrister Garry O’Halloran made the complaint to gardaí as far back as February and received confirmation in recent weeks that a “comprehensive investigation” is now under way.

Mr O’Halloran, who is a former Fine Gael councillor and also a former chairman of the South Eastern Health Board, had claimed Mr Noonan did not take adequate action after being made aware of sex abuse allegations involving a child while he was health minister in the 1990s. Mr O’Halloran claimed he resigned from the party after Mr Noonan had “done a runner” in 1997 from a meeting to discuss his concerns around the allegations of abuse.