Ireland's leading Child Protection Expert, Kieran McGrath, has alleged that An Garda Siochana did not respond to child sex abuse claims against Bill Kenneally in a satisfactory manner.
That's according to Eoghan Dalton from the Journal.ie.
This comes as the Commission of Investigation into the handling of the Kenneally case continues in Dublin.
Kieran McGrath presented a report yesterday to the Commission on the actions taken by An Garda Siochana and the South Eastern Health Board in the 1980s.
It was his view that the actions taken by then Acting Chief Superintendent Seán Cashman from the Waterford Garda Division, did not stand up to scrutiny.
Statutory guidelines
Looking at the guidelines in place in 1987, which required a multi-disciplinary reporting approach, it was found that Seán Cashman did not follow the guidelines, which were said to be continually evolving at the time.
It is known that Cashman interviewed Bill Kenneally in 1987 following the allegations made against him.
However, Eoghan Dalton told Deise Today, "He was aware that boys were being tied up and handcuffed, that these were factors in the interview with Kenneally that he conducted in Waterford. However, McGrath criticised Cashman for not pursuing a criminal investigation against Kenneally at the time."
Fresh and major guidelines were devised in the mid-1980s in Ireland which required Gardai to notify other authorities when a complaint or disclosure of child sexual abuse had been made.
At a previous hearing, Sean Cashman stated he believed the circular around the new guidelines may have been received and filed away, but he wasn't certain as there were many circulars being dealt with at that time.
