The final report of the inquiry into the so-called ‘Grace’ case, concerning allegations of a case of serious sexual and physical abuse in the south east, has been delayed by a further six months, the Government has confirmed.
The case relates to a non-verbal young woman with intellectual disabilities, given the pseudoynm Grace. There are allegations that she suffered years of abuse but remained at a foster home over a 10-year period, and despite concerns being highlighted about the setting.
The inquiry, chaired by senior counsel Marjorie Farrelly, was supposed to report two years after its establishment in 2017, but has now been delayed on multiple occasions.
In a statement following the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, a Government spokesman said that Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman, alongside Minister of State for Disability Anne Rabbitte, had received approval from Ministers to extend the timeframe for the final submission of the report by six months up to September 12th this year.
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[ Dismay expressed at decision not to prosecute HSE in ‘Grace’ caseOpens in new window ]
The spokesman said: “This extension will allow the Commission the additional time necessary to bring its work to completion.
“The Farrelly Commission is an independent statutory Commission of Investigation that was established to investigate the care and protection of a woman who is known by the pseudonym of ‘Grace’, as well as others in a former foster home in the South East, which has been the subject of abuse allegations.”
