Ahern defends plan to review child abuse commission

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has defended the Government’s plans to change the remit of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse.

The commission is currently hearing the testimony of all victims of abuse in state-owned institutions, but the Government wants it to investigate a sample of the overall abuse cases, claiming it would take 11 years to complete its work at the current pace.