Irish government apologises in parliament to victims of paedophile

The Irish government has apologised to the victims of a paedophile in the Dáil (lower house of Irish parliament) on Tuesday.

Bill Kenneally was the perpetrator of one of the most serious cases of paedophilia uncovered in the Irish state.

He was sentenced to 19 years in prison for the abuse of 15 young boys in the south east city of Waterford between 1979 and 1990.

Irish authorities believe at least 14 other boys were abused by him.

Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál Martin made the state apology at 15:35 in the Dáil.

"This has been a major failing by an organ of the state that cannot be downplayed," he 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."

He also apologised that it was two former politicians from his party, Fianna Fáil, who he said "failed" to protect children.

"There is no question about the duty public representatives have to put the safety of others first, and I repeat the fact that two TDs, Billy Kenneally Snr and Brendan Kenneally failed in that duty to the victims of Bill Kenneally.

"They failed the victims by putting their own relative first.

"I am 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 said even though Kenneally could have been arrested by gardaí in the 1980s, it was not until 25 years later that a proper investigation was carried out.

Some of Kenneally's victims were in the Dáil's distinguished visitors gallery for the apology.

Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Simon Harris said the survivors were "victims of monstrous evil" in their young lives.

"Too many warning signs were missed, too many opportunities to intervene were lost, too many people should have been protected were instead left vulnerable."

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the government's response could not end at the apology and said victims should be provided with redress.

"The lip service must stop from today," she said.

"This process must be expedited to ensure full justice and full redress."

Kenneally was initially convicted in 2016 and then of further crimes in 2023.

A Commission of Investigation report published recently into the state's handling of complaints by victims found there was a clear and serious dereliction of duty by senior gardaí (Irish police), even by the standards of the time.

Kenneally died in prison in June just days after the publication of the report.

He did not show any remorse for his crimes.

Kenneally admitted sexually abusing teenage boys when he was spoken to by senior gardaí in 1987 and claimed he gave them the names of seven boys.

He was not arrested or prosecuted and he continued to abuse children.

He had no further contact from gardaí until 2012 when a complaint was made by one of his victims, Jason Clancy, and a full investigation finally began.

Kenneally groomed children using trust, affection and fear, threatening them, plying them with alcohol and offering them money.

He restrained them, tortured and abused them and photographed many of them with a Polaroid camera, using the photographs as "effective blackmail" to preserve the boys' silence, according to the chairperson of the Commission of Investigation.

The commission also criticised the failure of Kenneally's cousin, former Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Kenneally, to contact child protection agencies after he was made aware of the abuse in 2001.

Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland, Clancy, who made the first formal complaint and fought for the Commission of Investigation to be set up, said the apology "adds closure" for victims after a "hard battle".

He said the state apology will be accepted.

Clancy said an apology from Fianna Fáil itself "would be nice" but if it has to be "dragged out" it is "not an apology".

He said Fianna Fáil power was used to keep the abuse "covered up".