The final report by the Commission of Investigation into how abuse allegations against basketball coach Bill Kenneally were handled is due to be published today.
The convicted paedophile is currently serving almost 19 years in prison for the serious sexual abuse of 15 young boys between 1979 and 1990, following two previous criminal prosecutions.
Kenneally was part of what was once a powerful political dynasty in the southeast of the country.
Although gardaí had been informed about the abuse by one boy’s father in 1987, Kenneally was not arrested until 2013.
His victims have long since called for answers as to whether collusion and his family’s political connections had originally protected him from prosecution.
In 2018, the Commission of Investigation (Response to complaints or allegations of child sexual abuse made against Bill Kenneally and related matters) was established under Mr Justice Barry Hickson.
The purpose of the inquiry was to examine how State authorities, the Catholic clergy, politicians, sporting organisations and others dealt with allegations of sexual abuse made by young teenage boys against Kenneally from the 1980s onwards.
The commission heard over 5,000 pages of testimony during 10 separate modules. There were 31 separate books of documents disclosed to it.
The commission’s final report will go to the Cabinet this morning before it is published.