‘Grace’ officials urged to stand aside

Senior officials in the HSE and State Child and Family Agency Tusla linked to the ‘Grace’ foster abuse scandal should temporarily step down pending the outcome of the imminent State inquiry into the controversy, it has been claimed.

Two politicians central to uncovering the scandal and the whistleblower who first flagged concerns last night demanded the action, after a detailed report into the case was finally published after months of delays.

The report, by senior counsel Conor Dignam, was commissioned 16 months ago due to deeply concerning claims that a girl with severe mental disabilities was subjected to serious sexual abuse between 1989 and 2009 and that the HSE repeatedly failed to remove her from the foster home, with further allegations that the case was covered up.