Joan Burton’s Dáil stonewalling leaves ‘grave questions’ about state’s role in sex abuse cases

THE Ceann Comhairle suspended the Dáil three times on Thursday over Sinn Féin objections to Tánaiste Joan Burton’s snide smears and innuendo in response to very serious questions about a sexual abuse case. Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald TD and Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh later said they regret the attitude of the Labour Party leader.

The Sinn Féin parliamentarians had been asked to raise the “grave questions that remain unanswered regarding the way in which various agencies of the state, including An Garda Síochána”, handled allegations and investigations of abuse by the founder of Cumann na BhFiann, Domhnall Ó Lubhlaí.

Rather than offer to answer the concerns, Tánaiste Burton instead once again exploited personal sexual abuse traumas to try and score political points against Sinn Féin.

This prompted vigorous protests by Mary Lou and Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD which led to arguments with the Ceann Comhairle, who denied Sinn Féin members had been defamed. 

The Dáil was suspended three times as the sides argued over the clear implications of the Tánaiste’s comments. The Ceann Comhairle insisted that there was nothing defamatory said and he tried to over-ride Sinn Féin objections and move on to the next business.

In a joint statement later on Thursday afternoon, Deputy McDonald and Senator Ó Clochartaigh said:

“Today, in both the Seanad and the Dáil, we raised very serious cases of alleged sexual abuse. These allegations are of the gravest nature involving possibly up to one hundred victims.

“We raised this case because we were asked to do so by victims.

“These victims have come up against a brick wall in their quest for answers and for justice.

“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.

“We expressed our serious concern that victims have been refused access to the report from the internal Garda review into how these complaints and allegations were handled.

“This report has been on the desk of the Minister for Justice since July.

“We further expressed concern that the Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána have yet to forward information to Tusla [Child and Family Agency] to allow that agency to pursue its investigations into these allegations.

“The Tánaiste failed to call on An Garda Síochána to give the victims access to the review report,

“The Tánaiste also failed to commit that the Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána would pass on the relevant information to Tusla.

“This is a source of grave concern and upset for the victims concerned.

“We regret that Joan Burton chose instead to slur those who raised questions on the victim’s behalf.”