Vol. 512 No. 1
83 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if, further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 200 and 201 of 30 June 1999 in relation to cases of sexual abuse, he will make available the statement referred to in the reply in view of the permission given to him by the person concerned (details supplied); the reason this has not happened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25159/99]
On 22 June 1999 I wrote to the person concerned enclosing a copy of the statement referred to by the Deputy and informed him of my intention to bring it to the attention of Senator Pat Gallagher who had shown an interest in the case. On 6 July 1999 solicitors for the person concerned replied to my letter and outlined certain provisions which they requested should be made in advance of the release of the document. These provisions included releasing a statement by the person concerned at the same time giving his account of the meeting the subject of the earlier statement and clarification of certain contacts which solicitors claimed he had with, among others, the Department of Education from 1982 to 1992. There is disagreement between the var ious accounts of the meeting and the further contacts which I would like, if possible, to clarify in advance of the release of the various statements to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas. Because of scheduling difficulties it has not been possible to arrange a meeting up to now with the solicitors concerned. However, a meeting has now been provisionally arranged for next week, subject to the availability of the solicitors and their clients, including the person concerned. I expect to be in a position after that meeting to make the statements available.
