Calls made to immediately publish report on paedophile Bill Kenneally
Bill Kenneally
A report into the offending and the State’s handling of paedophile Bill Kenneally has been completed, and there are now calls to have it published “without delay.”
Kenneally is currently serving an 18-year sentence for abusing 10 boys in Waterford between 1984 to 1987.
It is understood that his offending may go as far back as the 1970’s.
The case has been described as one of the most serious cases of paedophilia ever uncovered in Ireland by Mr. Justice Michael White.
Mr Justice White is a former High Court judge and Chairperson of the Commission of Investigation into Kenneally's crimes.
The Commission of Investigation was set up in 2018 to examine how State authorities, politicians and others dealt with the allegations of sexual abuse made by young teenage boys against Kenneally from the 1980s onwards.
A completed report from the commission has now been submitted to the Department of Justice.
In Waterford last week, Cllr Declan Clune brought forward a motion to the Council asking for the swift publication of the report.
Cllr Clune said: "This motion is about one thing and one thing only, helping to bring closure to survivors of the convicted paedophile Bill Kenneally.”
Seconding the motion, Cllr Mary Roche said: "These men had their teenage years highjacked from them. They have had this for 40 years of their lives, and have been waiting 10 years since they began to campaign for this Commission of Investigation. I would ask the Minister to publish it with undue haste, but not before he speaks to the survivors themselves."
The motion was passed unanimously by all members of Waterford City and County Council.
