Survivors of Waterford sex abuser Bill Kenneally have said they'll keep battling for a commission of investigation into the abuse they suffered at the hands of the sports coach.
The Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan stated yesterday that the government could not proceed with the commission - promised last May - because of ongoing criminal investigations and legal proceedings.
In the statement, it says, "in responding to the very serious allegations about the handling of specific sexual abuse allegations in Waterford, the Government decided on 30 May 2017 to establish a Commission of Investigation.
However, in deciding on the timing of such a Commission, the Government was obliged to take into account legal advice received from the Attorney General’s Office."
Kenneally is serving a 14-year sentence after pleading guilty to indecently assaulting 10 teenage boys in Waterford in the 1980s.
He is currently appealing against the severity of his sentence.
Jason Clancy who triggered a Garda investigation into the abuser when he made a complaint in 2012, says he doesn't accept the government's reasoning for not going ahead now with the promised inquiry.
Mr Clancy says, "essentially the Minister has put the brakes on the Commission of Investigation.
We were promised the investigation, the Minister at the time - Frances Fitzgerald - assured us that there are mechanisms that can be used to carry out the Commission of Investigation in conjunction with any criminal investigation, without it interfering.
Now, this has been done in the country a number of times before."
