THE Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, is taking legal advice about publication of a Garda report on child sex abuse in Co Wexford. The Minister hopes to be able to make a full statement on the issue shortly, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Jimmy Deenihan, said on her behalf.

He was responding, in an adjournment debate, to Ms Helen Keogh (PD, Dun Laoghaire) who said there were still unanswered questions following the Garda inquiry into the child abuse investigation in Monageer, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

It did not make clear whether a garda had called on the priest and requested him to leave the parish and that if he failed to do so he would be arrested? Did it indicate whether the priest's superiors were informed of the investigation and if so, what action was taken by them? Had the original file been found or had the Garda inquiry established why the authorities did not proceed with a prosecution when there appeared to be more than enough evidence?

The Garda Commissioner had stated that the investigation was "inadequate . Procedures should be put in place to ensure events like this did not happen again.