Taoiseach apologises to Bill Kenneally's victims for 'clear and serious dereliction of duty'

Apology follows findings of serious Garda failings in response to child sexual abuse allegations against the former coach

Jason Clancy, Colin Power, Paul Walsh, Gerry Mullane, Kevin Keating and Barry Murphy, survivors of convicted paedophile Bill Kenneally outside Leinster House, Dublin, ahead of a State apology for the abuse they suffered. Picture: Cillian Sherlock/PA Wire

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has “apologised unreservedly” to the survivors of prolific paedophile Bill Kenneally for “a clear and serious dereliction of duty”.

He also apologised on behalf of his party after the South-East Commission of Investigation found that two former Fianna Fáil TDs, Billy Kenneally Snr and Brendan Kenneally, were made aware of their relatives' abuse and did not act.

Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan also confirmed that a compensation scheme will be developed by the Department of Justice following consultation with the victims.

Bill Kenneally died in prison last month while serving a 19-year prison sentence. The 75-year-old Kenneally had served 10 years of his sentence for the indecent assault of 15 boys in Waterford between 1979 and 1990.

The report also found there were other statements made to gardaí, and evidence given to the commission about allegations from 1970 to 1993 which did not go to trial.

The commission found that in the late 1980s, knowledge of Kenneally’s abuse became known in Waterford by two senior garda officers, other gardaí, and the principal of De La Salle secondary school.

Billy Kenneally Snr and Monsignor John Shine were also made aware of the abuse. Both were Bill Kenneally’s uncles. The report also stated that his cousin, Brendan Kenneally, was aware of the abuse before 2001.

As he delivered the State apology in the Dáil, the Taoiseach acknowledged that several arms of the State had failed to intervene, despite being aware of Bill Kenneally’s abuse.

“The crimes of Bill Kenneally were cruel and exploitative,” he said.

“As Mr Justice White records, he was intelligent, manipulative and an expert at grooming children by developing trust and affection, but also by using fear.

“He photographed many of the boys with a Polaroid camera which could instantly develop photographs of them in compromising positions – using these to blackmail the boys into keeping silent.”

Mr Martin noted how Kenneally “used restraints on children, and employed alcohol, money and gifts to assist in grooming and in the commission of his awful offences”.

He said that gardaí were first made aware of Kenneally’s abuse in the mid-1980s, telling the Dáil that his abuse was “common knowledge amongst many young people in the area”.

Mr Martin paid tribute to those who had publicly spoken about their abuse, those who contributed to the Commission anonymously, and those who suffered and never came forward.

“No words from Government can make up for the theft of childhood from so many young boys, for the appalling abuse they suffered, and the enormous trauma they have experienced in their lives as a result,” the Taoiseach said.

“As Taoiseach, I apologise unreservedly, on behalf of the State, to the victims of Bill Kenneally for what was a clear and serious dereliction of duty.”

Mr Martin also said that he was “profoundly sorry that two former public representatives from my party so comprehensively failed to defend and protect young children from their nephew and cousin”.

He noted that the commission had found that there is no criminal offence for misconduct in public office. Attorney General Rossa Fanning has now written to the Law Reform Commission calling for this to be given “urgent consideration”.

Mr O’Callaghan, meanwhile, confirmed that the Department of Justice will now work on a compensation scheme for Kenneally abuse survivors.

"The exact details will be worked out with engagement from the victims themselves, but on a personal level, I do not want to see those of you that have been through so much put through any further lengthy legal processes,” he said.

"I would like to see a mediated solution that brings much-needed closure to all parties."

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald called Kenneally an “incredibly dangerous man, a predator” who “perfected an ability to groom, to exploit, and to blackmail his young victims”.

"Not alone did he sexually abuse these boys, but he tortured them psychologically,” he said.

“The level of depravity, of perverse calculation, of heartless, soulless evil that this man perpetrated is beyond words.

"Repulsive sexual abuse. He manipulated, intoxicated, isolated, and blackmailed innocent boys. Kenneally was insidious. He exploited the pure innocence of these boys."

On their way into Leinster House, the survivors said that the State apology came as a “relief”.

"It's recognition of the journey we've been on, and I hope the apology is unequivocal and comprehensive, because that's what this deserves," Colin Power said.