A draft final report by the Commission of Investigation into how abuse allegations against basketball coach Bill Kenneally were handled has been submitted to the Minister for Justice.
The Department of Justice has also confirmed that the commission is currently preparing its final report for formal submission to Minister Jim O'Callaghan.
It comes after two victims of Kenneally called on the minister to swiftly publish the report into the convicted paedophile.
Jason Clancy and Kevin Keating spoke to RTÉ’s This Week on Sunday about the profound and protracted abuse that Kenneally subjected his victims to, and the lasting impact that it has had on them and their families.
They and other victims have long called for answers as to whether his family's political connections protected Kenneally from prosecution for many years before he was eventually convicted.
Kenneally is serving almost 19 years in prison for the serious sexual abuse of 15 young boys between 1979 and 1990 following two criminal prosecutions.
The Commission of Investigation was set up in 2018 under Mr Justice Barry Hickson to examine how State authorities, the Catholic clergy, politicians, sporting organisations and others dealt with allegations of sexual abuse made by young teenage boys against Kenneally from the 1980s onwards.
The commission’s current chairperson, Mr Justice Michael White, a former High Court judge, has already described Kenneally's criminal actions as one of the most serious cases of paedophilia ever to be uncovered in Ireland.
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The commission has heard over 5,000 pages of testimony during ten separate modules while there have been 31 separate books of documents disclosed.
In an update on the long-awaited publication of the commission’s findings, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice has said once the final report has been received, and subject to "legal review", Minister O'Callaghan intends to publish it "as soon as possible".
The spokesperson said: "Judge Michael White has submitted a draft final report to Minister O'Callaghan of the Commission of Investigation (Response to Allegations of Complaint of Child Sexual Abuse made against Bill Kenneally, and related matters).
"A final report is being prepared by the commission for formal submission to the minister, including a digital version for publication. Once this final report is received, and subject to legal review, the minister intends to publish it as soon as possible.
"The minister will provide copies of the final report to the victims in advance of publication. He will also bring the report to Cabinet for information," the spokesperson added.
It is thought that the commission's final report will be published in the coming weeks.
Bill Kenneally was part of what was once a powerful political dynasty in the southeast of the country.
His grandfather, Willie Kenneally, uncle, Billie Kenneally and cousin, Brendan Kenneally, were all Fianna Fáil TDs for Waterford.
Another one of his uncles, Monsignor John Shine, was a significant figure in the Catholic church in Waterford.
Senior gardaí spoke to Bill Kenneally in 1987 about allegations that he had indecently assaulted a 14-year-old boy. However, one of his victims said he had told gardaí about Kenneally’s activities two years prior.
After the 1987 meeting with gardaí, Kenneally was sent to speak to his uncle, Monsignor Shine, who arranged for him to go to a doctor a number of times. But it was not until 2012 that his house was searched by gardaí. He was arrested the following year.
His victims subsequently called for a Commission of Investigation to be set up, some waiving their right to anonymity in the process.
They want to know if collusion and his family’s political connections protected Kenneally from being prosecuted much earlier.
In an unusual legal procedure, the convicted paedophile was taken from prison to give his evidence to the commission in public two years ago. His testimony shocked those present, both in its content and in the manner in which he presented it.
Kenneally claimed that he had not done anything wrong, and his criminal actions were consensual.
Kenneally's cousin, Brendan Kenneally, who was a Fianna Fáil TD and Senator between 1989 and 2011, also gave evidence to the commission. He strongly denied that he had tried to keep the abuse quiet or sweep it under the carpet.
Mr Justice White has been the sole member and chairperson of the Commission of Investigation since taking over from Mr Justice Hickson upon the latter’s retirement in 2021.
While Mr Justice White has also retired from judicial office, he has continued to engage with the work of the commission since his appointment.
