The Department of Children has received the final report relating to the first phase of the Farrelly Commission's investigation into a disability service in the southeast and related matters, otherwise known as the 'Grace' case.
The commission was established to investigate the care and protection of 'Grace', an intellectually disabled woman, and others in a former foster home in the southeast, which has been the subject of abuse allegations.
The Commission of Investigation whose chair and sole member is Marjorie Farrelly SC, began work in 2017.
A final report on the commission’s Phase 1 work was due to be submitted to the Minister for Health within one year of it commencing its work.
However, a number of time extensions were given to enable the commission to carry out its work in accordance with its Terms of Reference.
In a statement, the department said the commission’s "substantive work" on Phase 1 of the investigation is now complete and the focus is now on the finalising of costs payable to witnesses who appeared before it.
The commission also provided a statement to the department concerning Part X of the Terms of Reference of the investigation.
Part X relates to previous investigations including recommendations by Conor Dignam SC concerning Care and Decision Making in respect of Others, Actions of the HSE in terms of investigating others and Protected Disclosures including the HSE's treatment of 'whistleblowers'.
The department has said that the report and statement will now be referred to the Office of the Attorney General for legal advice.
Following the publication of two interim reports by the Farrelly Commission in 2021, Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness who helped to expose the 'Grace’ case, described it as "the greatest scandal of our time".
Speaking during a Dáil debate, Mr McGuinness said there was already enough information in the public domain to prove that 'Grace' had been failed by the state.
The two interim reports, published in September 2021, found "systemic failings" by officials in the handling of 'Grace's' case.
