Kerry native and former Government Minister Pat Carey has today received an apology from the Garda Commissioner for leaks around an investigation.
The 75-year old was a Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin North West, and is originally from Keel, Castlemaine.
He sued the Garda Commissioner and Attorney General, and publishers of the Irish Independent newspaper, following the publication of articles in 2015 about an investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse involving an ex-Government Minister.
Pat Carey today received an apology in the High Court from lawyers for the Garda Commissioner, for the leaking of information about an investigation relating to him in 2015.
The former Minister and Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin North West, who was raised in Keel, Castlemaine, wasn’t named in the reports at the time, but claimed he had to make a public statement rejecting innuendo surrounding him.
He strongly rejected the allegations, and was informed no charges would be brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions following a garda investigation.
Pat Carey said he had to step down from roles he held at the time, including director of elections for Fianna Fáil.
In court today, an apology was read to Mr Carey on behalf of the Garda Commissioner, acknowledging that information was leaked during an investigation into allegations relating to Mr Carey.
Th Commissioner accepted this should never have happened, and acknowledged it was the cause of severe and wholly unjustified distress to Mr Carey and those close to him, and damaged his reputation.
In a statement afterwards, Pat Carey said he had been subjected to the gravest allegations, his character had been vilified, and his good name destroyed, due to the wrongful but deliberate acts of powerful people with vested interests.
He said those who knew him, knew there was no substance to the allegations.
He said he particularly welcomed the apology from the Garda Commissioner, and the vindication shown by the payment of substantial damages and his entire costs.
He said the last seven and a half years had been extremely difficult but he was fortunate that he had the support of those close to him including his partner of eleven years, Wai, friends, family and legal team.
