Courts / Ireland / Report
Foster parent cleared of abuse allegation challenges vetting notification
Summary
The High Court heard a challenge by a foster parent, represented by Mark Harty SC, against the Child and Family Agency's (CFA) decision to notify the Garda Vetting Bureau of complaints against him. The man, who has been a foster carer with his wife, was accused two years ago of sexually abusing a girl they had fostered. He denied the allegations, and the CFA's initial provisional finding that the allegations were "founded" was overturned on appeal, with the panel ruling that the CFA had breached its own policies and procedures. The Gardaí investigated and the Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to prosecute. Despite these outcomes, the CFA issued a Specified Information Notification to the Garda National Vetting Bureau earlier this year. The man seeks to quash that notification and to obtain declarations that the CFA acted unlawfully and that its procedures were inconsistent with natural and constitutional justice.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Foster parent cleared of abuse allegation challenges vetting notification. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial
When:
- 2022-10-10 Publication
Case subjects
Applicant
Outcome: The judge adjourned the matter to a date in December.
Places mentioned
- High Court
Topics
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