The resignation of Ms Justice Mary Laffoy as chair of the commission investigating child abuse was a result of the Government's lack of co-operation and interference, the High Court judge's resignation letter is reported indicating.
Ms Justice Laffoy resigned last week on the day a broad-ranging review of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse was announced by the Minster for Education, Mr Dempsey.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, yesterday blamed the resignation on Ms Justice Laffoy's heavy case due to the number of allegations of abuse and numerous legal challenges from alleged abusers. But he also acknowledged there were tensions between the judge and the Government.
In response to Opposition calls to immediately publish the resignation letter, a Government spokeswoman said it would only be released after the Cabinet met next Tuesday.
But details of the judge's letter appear in the Sunday Independenttoday showing Ms Justice Laffoy's searing criticism of the Government's conduct.
She complains that the review will undermine the independence of the commission, adding that she had been "rendered powerless" the level of Government co-operation.
"In retrospect, it appears that since its establishment, the Commission has never been properly enabled by the Government to fulfil satisfactorily the functions conferred on it by the Oireachtas," the newspaper reports the letter as saying.
Ms Justice Laffoy attacks the Government for not publishing the review of the commission's mandate completed in February which in turn meant her request for additional resources was not being met.
The operates on three separate levels: a forum for victims to tell their stories in confidence; a redress board which was making compensation awards and an investigation committee.
The latter has now been suspended pending the outcome of the review. The Taoiseach yesterday said the other functions were "working well".
It has been estimated that under the current methodology the commission could take eleven years to complete its work at a cost of €200 million.