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Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

Mary Lou claims "entirely untrue" and "entirely incorrect" --- Department of Justice

The TD has hit out at the handling of claims made against the late Domhnall Ó Lubhlaí. She said victims had sought her out for help.

THE DEPARTMENT OF Justice has rejected claims made by Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald that abuse allegations against the late Domhnall Ó Lubhlaí have been mishandled.

McDonald said she was compelled to raise the issue after victims had come to her for help.

Gaeltacht teacher Ó Lubhlaí — who died in 2013, was accused of abusing dozens of victims in the 1970s and 1980s.

A row over the issue caused the Dáil to be suspended three times this afternoon — after a long argument between Sinn Féin and the Ceann Comhairle.

In a joint statement, released in the wake of that incident, McDonald said she had been attempting to raise allegations that were “of the gravest nature” involving “possibly up to one hundred victims”.

A “brick wall” had been placed in the way of victims seeking justice, she contended.

That brick wall has been placed in their way by various agencies of the state, including a number of government departments and An Garda Síochána.

The statement expressed “serious concern” that victims had been refused access to a report from an internal Garda review into how the complaints and allegations were handled.

And it said the report had been “on the desk of the Minister for Justice since July”

McDonald also questioned why the Department and the Gardaí had yet to forward information to Child and Family Agency Tusla “to allow that agency to pursue its investigations into these allegations”.

‘Untrue’

However, in a statement this evening, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said it was “entirely untrue to suggest that the Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald TD received the internal Garda review report on the O’Lubhlaí case or that any such report has been sitting on her desk”.

“It is equally incorrect to suggest that the Department has yet to forward information to TUSLA to allow that agency to pursue its investigation.

“The Department has no request from TUSLA for any information, nor does it have any information which would be relevance to a TUSLA inquiry.

“It would not be normal practice for a report of an internal Garda examination to be made public.

“However, the Department, on behalf of the Minister, is in contact with the Garda authorities with respect to identifying any information in relation to the review which might properly be put into the public domain and which might be shared with victims and their families.

A spokesperson for Tusla said the organisation would not be commenting on the issue.

Additional reporting, Daragh Brophy.

Read: Dáil suspended three times IN ONE HOUR as Burton and SF clash on abuse claims

 

 

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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Warren McAllister
    Favourite Warren McAllister
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    Jan 13th 2014, 2:41 PM

    2008 called, they want their Blackberry back

    54
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    Mute Marc
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    Jan 13th 2014, 2:25 PM

    I never send a regular text. I use Whatsapp. The best app in my opinion for sending texts, pictures and videos. And all free.

    45
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    Mute Fozz
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    Jan 13th 2014, 2:44 PM

    Yep, same here but with Viber.
    What luddites still send SMS :)

    14
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    Mute Andrew Hickey
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    Jan 13th 2014, 2:49 PM

    The ones that get unlimited texts in their bundle.

    79
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    Mute Tom Hara
    Favourite Tom Hara
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    Jan 13th 2014, 3:28 PM

    I always use the generous free SMS that I get in my monthly bundke. Only cheapskates use whatsapp etc

    9
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    Mute Lily
    Favourite Lily
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    Jan 13th 2014, 3:37 PM

    Pay as you go people u mean…

    9
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    Mute Marc
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    Jan 13th 2014, 6:09 PM

    I have unlimited texts with my plan. Never use them. I prefer whatsapp. SMS is so 90s :)

    9
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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
    Favourite Bilbo Baggins
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    Jan 13th 2014, 8:00 PM

    Are people missing the irony in your comment John ‘you only use Free sms, cheapskates use whatsapp’…. wait that was meant to be sarcastic right? …..

    1
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    Mute Neil O'Reilly
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    Jan 13th 2014, 3:14 PM

    A good 20 billion of them will just say “lol”.

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    21
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    Mute Mark Byrne
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    Jan 13th 2014, 3:17 PM

    K ;)

    12
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    Mute Byyys
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    Jan 13th 2014, 2:38 PM

    “While instant messaging is expected to grow this year, SMS messages will continue to generate more revenue”..

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    17
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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Jan 13th 2014, 2:39 PM

    Alot of messages there for the US government to scan through.

    16
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    Mute graham galvin
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    Jan 13th 2014, 4:10 PM

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    Mute Daddy De La Noche
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    Jan 13th 2014, 2:30 PM

    Since you used a picture of a blackberry I would have assumed you’d include their BBM app that went cross platform months ago, some authors on this app really do not know their stuff.

    14
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    Mute Tom Colgan
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    Jan 13th 2014, 8:47 PM

    Technology has changed alot in the last 5 years, exciting times ahead!

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    Mute COOM
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    Jan 14th 2014, 12:29 AM

    TAX the TEXT. Could you imagine the revenue.

    1
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