The Irish state has apologised to the survivors of Bill Kenneally.
7 survivors were present in the Prestigious Guest box in the Dail chamber as Taoiseach Micheal Martin read an apology on behalf of the Irish state.
Kenneally was sentenced to 14 years and 2 months in prison in 2016 for sexually abusing ten boys in Waterford between 1984 and 1987.
He received an additional four-and-a-half-year prison sentence in May 2023 for the abuse of five more boys between December 1979 and March 1990.
State apologies are reserved for the most serious failures of state institutions.
Recent apologies relate to the Magdalene Laundries, failures of the Cervical Check Screening Programme, and Ireland’s Mother and Baby Homes.
There is evidence that Kenneally abused young boys from 1970 to 1993.
His abuse was notably sadistic and frequent.
In 1987 Kenneally attended Waterford Garda station where he admitted to abusing a boy.
He was not formally interviewed or charged and it would be 25 years before he was investigated again.
Kenneally admitted to assaulting 20 boys when his home was searched in 2013, but some estimates put the true figure at over 100.
Kenneally continued to work as an accountant in Waterford City until his conviction in 2016. He canvassed for Fianna Fail and acted as a tallyman until 2011.
Kenneally died in prison 9 days after the commission of investigation report was published. He is said to have had a private cremation without a funeral ceremony.
The Apology
Addressing the nation on behalf of the Irish State Michael Martin said,
‘As Taoiseach I apologise unreservedly on behalf of the state to the victims for what was a clear and obvious dereliction of duty
‘Jason Clancy, Barry Murphy, Kevin Keating, Colin Power, Simon O’Toole, Gerard Mullane – we apologise to each of them.’
‘…I also regret to say that there are, no doubt, victims who decided silently and understandably that they did not wish to give evidence about how they were abused. To those unknown men I also extend a deep and sincere apology.’
The Taoiseach acknowledged that two former members of his own party chose to protect their relative rather than the vulnerable children he was abusing.
‘Two TDs, Billy Kenneally Snr and Brendan Kenneally failed in that duty to the victims of Bill Kenneally,” he said.
‘They failed the victims by putting their own relative first.
‘I am profoundly sorry that two former public representatives from my party so comprehensively failed to defend and protect young children from their nephew and cousin.
‘….There is a very real public benefit to recording what happened in Waterford,’ he added.
The comments that followed from TDs were unanimous in their admiration for the persistence and bravery of the survivors.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik called the Kenneally case a ‘microcosm of church state collusion,’ and said it showed the ‘danger of say nothing culture that prevailed for much of the 20th century.’
In an notable development, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan informed the chamber that he has advised officials in the Department of Justice to explore methods of financial redress for the survivors.
Minister O’Callaghan echoed the Taoiseach in saying he wants financial redress to be quick and not administered through the courts.
As recommended by the commission of investigation, the process has begun to make public representatives legally responsible for the protection of children.
Many of TDs present went to the Prestigious Guest box to shake hands with the survivors as they left the chamber.
Among the many striking comments, leader of Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonald, addressed the public gallery where the family of the survivors were seated.
‘I hope that when you all look at your Dad’s face you see a hero,’ she said.
You can read the full report of the state apology to the survivors of Bill Kenneally in The Munster Express next week.
Aaron Kent
