‘Grace’ report to be delayed again

The report into allegations of sex abuse against an intellectually disabled girl at a Waterford foster home will now not be handed into Government until the end of August.

The report is to be basis of a pending Commission of Inquiry into the foster home, and is to lay out suggested terms of reference.

The allegations refer to a girl — who has come to be known as Grace — who was in the home until 2009, almost 14 years after allegations of abuse against children were raised.

The report was originally due back in June but it has been delayed several times.

The decision by the previous government to establish a Commission came following a series of reports in the Irish Examiner earlier this year.

Minister of state with responsibility for disabilities, Finian McGrath, is to announce an extension today, the Irish Examiner believes.

Mr McGrath is to indicate that he expects to receive the completed report by Conor Dignam SC into matters related to disability foster care in the South-East by the end of August.

Mr Dignam had previously advised his work would be concluded in early August.

Mr McGrath, who has described some of the allegations as shocking, is keen to present the report and the terms of reference to Cabinet at the earliest opportunity in September.

On foot of the request, Mr McGrath is to state that a short additional amount of time has been agreed with Mr Dignam at his request to allow him to take account of some final details.

Among the subjects which Mr Dignam will address in his review is the identification of matters which will assist in framing the terms of reference for the proposed Commission of Investigation into the care of individuals with a disability in the Waterford foster home.

Mr McGrath was happy to accede to the request to extend the deadline but he has made it known he wants progress made quickly.

Earlier this year, the Irish Examiner revealed how 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 letter 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 showed 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.

Crucially, a letter from Mr Noonan’s private secretary confirms that, on foot of the foster father’s request, Grace’s removal from the foster home was delayed.

“The minister understands that the health board, at your request, agreed not to remove ‘Grace’ until the end of the summer period,” the letter from Mr Noonan’s secretary states.

The delay followed a request for an update report from Mr Noonan’s department to the health board.

However, in his letter to Mr Noonan, the foster father paints a picture of serenity in terms of Grace’s care.

“At present, she resides in a family home, enjoys a happy and secure life, goes to the seaside, shopping and out for a meal and gets individual treatment for her special needs,” he wrote.