Michael Noonan (above) was Minister for Health when ‘Grace’ was returned to an abusive foster parent in 1996

This morning.

Via Independent.ie:

Gardaí are recommending criminal prosecutions following their lengthy investigation into the long-running ‘Grace’ foster home abuse case.

…A bulky file has now been submitted to the DPP. This is the second Garda investigation to have been held into the case, which was described by a High Court judge as a scandal [see below]….

An initial investigation was started in 2010 under the direction of a district superintendent.

Gardaí said this began as a result of disclosures made by a social worker, which provided details of possible sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect by Grace’s foster parents.

Gardaí recommend criminal prosecution in ‘Grace’ abuse case (Independent.ie)

Meanwhile….

Grace’s mother during a 2017 interview with RTÉ Investigates

Who is Grace?

Grace’ was born to a single mother in the southeast of Ireland in the late 1970s.

She was supposed to be put up for adoption but, instead, was put into foster care soon after her birth.

She was born with microcephaly and was mute.

From 1989 until 2009, Grace lived with a set of foster parents.

The foster father – who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1999 and who died in 2000 – was accused of sexually abusing another child in their care in 1996, at which point it was decided that no more children would be placed in their care and that Grace would be removed.

The foster parents appealed this decision to remove Grace.

In a letter (above) dated August 9, 1996, to the then Health Minister Michael Noonan, the foster father stated that he and the foster mother lost this appeal and that they were appealing to the minister to “decide in their favour”.

On August 26, 1996, Mr Noonan received a second letter appealing for Grace to remain with the foster parents. But this second letter was from the principal of a school attended by a grandson of the foster parents.

On November 14, 1996, the foster parents were told Grace could stay with them.

Grace remained there for another 13 years.

Approving a €6.3million settlement to Grace in 2017, Mr Justice Peter Kelly said the decision to remove Grace  had been reversed by a three-person committee in the health board for reasons which remained a mystery to this day.

Via RTÉ

He said this was after representations were made by the foster parents to the then minister for health.…He asked what extraordinary hold the foster family had over the health board officials who made the decision. He said if it was not for the fact that a commission of inquiry has been set up, he would have wanted answers to these questions.

Previously: Unfinished Business

The “Extraordinary Hold” Foster Family Had Over The Health Board

Grace’s Mother

Rollingnews