Inquiry into foster abuse case within weeks

A long-delayed state inquiry into the ‘Grace’ foster abuse scandal is set to begin within weeks after an independent report into the controversy was finally published last night.

Cabinet agreed to set up the previously promised commission of inquiry at a lengthy meeting yesterday following the publication of a 309-page investigation by senior counsel Conor Dignam.

The report was first commissioned by former junior health minister and Labour TD Kathleen Lynch 16 months ago due to serious concerns that a woman with severe mental disabilities — given the pseudonym ‘Grace’ — was subjected to repeated sexual abuse by her foster family between 1989 and 2009.

Despite the fact concerns were raised as far back as 1992 and that all placements at the home were meant to end in 1995, plans to remove ‘Grace’ in 1996, 2001, and 2005 failed to be acted on.

In addition, more than 40 other vulnerable children and teenagers were also placed at the home during the same period, with one woman, ‘Anne’, remaining at the home until 2013, some four years after ‘Grace’ was removed and the first investigations into the case began.

Amid repeated whistle-blower cover-up claims, Mr Dignam was asked to examine the issues surrounding two previous and still unpublished HSE-commissioned reports into what happened. The reports were conducted by Resilience Ireland and Conal Devine Associates.

In addition to the findings, Mr Dignam’s report has also called for a series of issues to be addressed by a now-imminent state inquiry into the case, which was promised by Taoiseach Enda Kenny before the general election amid claims what happened has been covered up.

In particular, the report said any investigation must clarify whether there was “any deliberate suppression or attempted suppression of information” by HSE officials with a “particular reference” to the seven years since the whistleblower’s concerns were raised.

Mr Dignam has also called for a full explanation into who first decided that the foster family was fit to take in people and why the HSE initially planned to remove ‘Grace’ in 1995, but failed to do so.

Among more than 30 recommendations published in today’s Irish Examiner, Mr Dignam has also said that the inquiry should clarify whether the foster family father’s “representations” to the then health minister, Michael Noonan, in 1996 forced the U-turn on the removal of ‘Grace’ from the foster home, prolonging her ordeal.

Disabilities Minister and Independent Alliance TD Finian McGrath last night said the publication of the Dignam report means the planned state inquiry into what happened will now be established.

He said the HSE — which again apologised for what happened and said “deficiencies” have been addressed in a statement last night — has two weeks to respond to the findings, with the inquiry’s terms of reference to be agreed by Government “within weeks” of the deadline.

It is likely the terms of reference will be put before the Dáil and Seanad in late November or in early December, with an inquiry chair also appointed at this stage.

The HSE last night said that among the changes it has introduced since the ‘Grace’ case emerged, are the publication of the national policy, Safeguarding Vulnerable People at Risk of Abuse; safeguarding teams in the nine community health areas; and 35 additional staff for these teams.

In addition, it has appointed a confidential recipient, Leigh Gath, who is responsible for listening independently to staff concerns over the treatment of a vulnerable persons in HSE- funded centres.