Bill Kenneally's cousin, ex-Waterford TD who failed to report known abuse, only left Fianna Fáil last week

Brendan Kenneally — who was criticised for not reporting his cousin to child protection services — only left Fianna Fáil on the day the report was published 

Brendan Kenneally canvassing in Waterford in 1989. Last week's commission of investigation report criticised him for falling 'substantially below' the standards expected of a TD. File picture

A former Waterford TD and first cousin of paedophile Bill Kenneally who failed to report known abuse only rescinded his member of Fianna Fáil following the publication of a damning report last week.

Fianna Fáil chief whip Mary Butler has confirmed that Brendan Kenneally left the party on Tuesday of last week, the same day as the publication of the Commission of Investigation report into how State agencies dealt with the child abuse allegations.

The commission of investigation criticised Brendan Kenneally, for falling "substantially below" the standards expected of a TD and found that he should have reported his cousin to child protection services when he was first told of the child abuse back in 2001.

"He should have spoken to Bill Kenneally and advised him to resign from Waterford Viking basketball club and he should never have allowed him to continue to canvass and act as tallyman for him or the Fianna Fail party," the report said of the former TD.

It recommended that the Law Reform Commission should urgently consider the absence of a criminal offence of "misconduct in public office" in this country.

Ex-TD canvassed for the party in 2020

Ms Butler, who described allowing Brendan Kenneally canvass for her ahead of the 2020 general election as an "error of judgment", confirmed: "The report was published on Tuesday. Brendan Kenneally was no longer a member of the Fianna Fall Party by Tuesday evening.

Asked why she had not previously pushed the party to exclude Mr Kenneally as a member, Ms Butler said: "The membership of people is a matter for themselves.

"There are rules and conditions about whether you can be a member or not. Brendan Kenneally has not been convicted in a court of law, the report states very, very clearly that he fell far below the standards that you would expect," she told Damien Tiernan on WLR furing a heated exchange.

Fianna Fáil chief whip Mary Butler described allowing Brendan Kenneally canvass for her ahead of the 2020 general election as an 'error of judgment'. File picture: Sam Boal/Collins

Asked how the resignation had come about, she said she was not in a position to reveal that, nor was she in a position to say whether he was asked to leave the party as "it wasn't my conversation."

Ms Butler, who also rented a constituency office from Mr Kenneally up to 2020, said: "Brendan canvassed for me, and he canvassed for me previously, and I made an error of judgement in 2020 to allow him to continue canvassing for me. I've apologised for that. I will apologise again for it now."

75-year-old Bill Kenneally died in the Midlands Prison in the early hours of Thursday morning, ten years into an almost-19 year sentence for the abuse of 15 boys between 1979 and 1990. He died less than 48 hours after victims were promised a State apology next month, during a meeting on Tuesday with Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan.

Plan are now at an early stage to accord the freedom of Waterford City to the victims of paedophile Bill Kenneally.

Sources in Waterford City and County Council confirmed to the Irish Examiner that no formal decision has yet been taken to grant the honour to Kenneally’s victims but that it is likely that such a ceremony will take place before the end of the year.

75-year-old Kenneally died in the Midlands Prison in the early hours of Thursday morning, ten years into an almost-19 year sentence for the abuse of 15 boys between 1979 and 1990. He died less than 48 hours after victims were promised a State apology next month, during a meeting on Tuesday with Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan.