The final report of the Farrelly Commission, a long-running investigation into the circumstances surrounding serious allegations of abuse against a severely disabled young woman, known as “Grace”, is to be published on Tuesday.
The inquiry, chaired by senior counsel Marjorie Farrelly, was supposed to report two years after its establishment in 2017, but was been delayed on multiple occasions.
Who is “Grace”?
“Grace” is an intellectually disabled woman who was born in 1979 to a single mother who planned to put her up for adoption.
However, there were complications at birth and she was diagnosed with severe intellectual disability and microcephaly.
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The adoption never happened. Instead, at the age of 10 she was placed with a foster family in the southeast region. She remained with that family until 2009.
What happened to her?
In 1996 an allegation of sexual abuse was made by one of the residents of the foster home. “Grace” was also regarded as exhibiting signs of abuse.
In 1995, for example, her hips and arms were found to be bruised. While in day services, “she completely stripped herself for no apparent reason”. Her behaviour was described as “chaotic” and she took to “headbutting” trainees. There was no evidence the bruising was investigated.
In 1996, a case conference involving healthcare professionals in the then South Eastern Health Board decided to move her, but that decision was overturned following an appeal by the foster parents.
The HSE admitted this was a “missed opportunity” for action. Understanding the rationale for that decision will be the key question of the Farrelly Commission.
Since then evidence has emerged of at least five other residents of the foster home who were abused.
How did the commission of inquiry come about?
The Farrelly Commission of Inquiry was established in 2017 by then-taoiseach Enda Kenny to investigate the care of Grace and 47 other residents of the foster home.
Speaking in the Dáil, Mr Kenny described the treatment of Grace as a “disgrace to us as a country”.
In the same year Grace’s family was awarded €6.3 million in the High Court.
The inquiry, chaired by senior counsel Marjorie Farrelly, began its work on May 2017 and was due to report two years later.
Why has it taken so long for it to conclude?
An interim report on the scandal, which ran to some 800 pages, suggested the rationale the then South-Eastern Health Board made for keeping Grace in the foster home after 1996 was “weak and confused”.
Several extensions of time were requested and given to Ms Farrelly as the commission struggled to get information needed for her report especially from the HSE, the successor to the health board.
What will happen today?
The final report of the Farrelly Commission’s long-running investigation will be published on Tuesday.
Minister for Children Norma Foley will bring a memo to Cabinet seeking approval for publication of the report.
It is unlikely to be followed by criminal prosecutions as the Director of Public Prosecutions has previously decided there should be no criminal charges brought despite a recommendation from the gardaí that those involved in her abuse should face justice.
