O’Dwyer calls for 2014 Garda review into Donal O’Lubhlai to be released to the victims

Chris O’Dwyer, the Labour Party’s Local Area Representative in Clondalkin-Rathcoole, says he is calling on Minister Helen McEntee to order the release of the 2014 Garda report into the circumstances of the disappearance of the evidence against Donal O’Lubhlai.

“In the late 90’s to early 2000’s a number of Donal O’Lubhlai victims broke their silence and began the process to seek justice for the abuse that they experienced at the hands of the Clondalkin based educator,” O’Dwyer explained.

“Six male survivors went to the Gardai to report the abuse however, when the case was about to go to trial the evidence and testimony provided by the survivors went missing.

“It is unknown if they were simply misplaced or destroyed.

“In 2013 the then Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter, announced an inquiry into the State’s mishandling of the complaints against O’Lubhlai dating back to the 1950’s.

“This review has not been released to the survivors.

“The survivors have a right to access the report, they have the right to know why the case was mishandled by the State and how O’Lubhlai was able to escape justice for many years whilst maintaining an ever-consistent presence with the ruling class.”

Chris O’Dwyer also says that by not publishing the report and making it available to survivors the State is “continuing to fail O’Lubhlai survivors and prolonging the abuse they experienced at his hands.”

“Since 2013 every Minister of Justice has failed the survivors and I am calling on Minister McEntee to break that cycle, order Commissioner Harris to release the 2014 report to the survivors and not hide behind data protection as an excuse to prevent justice,” O’Dwyer said.

“The O’Lubhlai survivors are waiting for justice and are waiting for the State to acknowledge that the abuse they suffered happened.”