Eoghan Dalton Reports
The Commission of Investigation into the Bill Kenneally case is to begin hearings later this week.
Bill Kenneally , a former sports coach, is currently serving a 14-year prison sentence in relation to 10 counts of indecent assault against minors which took place in the 1980s.
The commission to investigate allegations of collusion between the Gardaí, the Catholic Church and elements within the political system was established in November 2018 and has been collecting statements since last summer.
Bill Kenneally
In the commission’s terms of reference, published last year, it is outlined that it will look at whether a number of bodies, such as the South Eastern Health Board and the Irish Basketball Association, were informed at any point by Gardaí in relation to the allegations made about Mr Kenneally.
The commission will also look at whether those bodies took appropriate action if they did receive allegations about Mr Kenneally.
Among its other terms are whether a “caution” was given to Mr Kenneally by An Garda Síochána in 1987, and whether he was formally, or informally, questioned by An Garda Síochána, and whether those actions were an adequate response to the allegations being made against him.
The commission will also try to ascertain whether, following this “caution”, there was ongoing monitoring of any form of Bill Kenneally by An Garda Síochána stationed in Waterford.
One of the survivors, Jason Clancy spoke to Damien Tiernan on WLR and said he and other victims will present their pen portraits to the hearing this week, which he explained are similar to victim impact statements.