Vol. 437 No. 2
82 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Justice the position in relation to allegations of child sexual abuse in an institution (details supplied), against a member of staff of that institution who has been suspended from duty; if the investigations in this case have been completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
It is not the practice for the Minister for Justice to make statements to the House about individual Garda investigations except in singular instances where the circumstances of an investigation are so exceptional that such a course is deemed to be appropriate.
All I propose to say in this case is that I have been informed by the Garda authorities that this matter has been the subject of a full and thorough Garda investigation and a file has been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for direction. The House will appreciate, therefore, that it would be inappropriate for me to make any further comment on the matter at this stage.
