A TD has admitted using a jailed paedophile’s cousin to help her retain her Dail seat was a “huge error of judgement”.
Mary Butler sparked outrage when former Junior Minister Brendan Kenneally backed her on the campaign trail - at one point calling to the home of a victim of his sex beast cousin, Bill Kenneally.
The monster ex-basketball coach is among Ireland’s worst child sex abusers and is serving 14 years behind bars for a depraved reign of terror against boys in Waterford.
Ex-TD Brendan, while not involved in any way in the abuse, admitted in 2002 he was told his cousin was a serial offender but did not report it to Gardai, claiming a victim did not want to go further with it.
It was 2016 before Bill Kenneally was finally convicted on sample charges of indecently assaulting 10 boys.
Fianna Fail Deputy Butler’s use of his cousin to canvass for her in her Waterford constituency during the general election infuriated victims - forcing her into a grovelling public apology yesterday.
Survivor Jason Clancy, abused over a four-year period by Bill Kenneally, said: “Mary Butler should resign over this. People are up in arms over it.
“She was told as far back as 2016 that we (survivors) thought it was disgraceful Brendan Kenneally was canvassing for her then. She was even told by members of her own party that it wasn’t on.
“She has said she wasn’t aware we had an issue with it. To have Brendan Kenneally canvassing for her and calling to a victim’s house? She won’t even speak with the victims.”
Butler yesterday described using Mr Kenneally to back her recent general election campaign as a “huge error of judgement”.
She told WLR FM’s Deise Today show: “I had about 50 people canvassing for me throughout the city and county and Brendan Kenneally was one of them.
“I would like to apologise unreservedly to Linda and Barry Murphy (one of Bill Kenneally’s victims) for the hurt and upset when Brendan Kenneally canvassed their house.
“I would also like to apologise to the other victims....I’m not a vindictive person, it’s not in me and I suppose it was a complete and utter error on my part that I didn’t foresee the damage that could have been done or the hurt and anxiety it caused to these men.”
She said she had “absolutely no problem” with meeting the victims - but said she would only do so in private.
In 2018, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan promised a Commission of Investigation into claims several arms of the State knew about Bill Kenneally’s abuse but did nothing about it.
Mr Clancy added: “He could have been stopped, but he wasn’t because he was protected by a group of very powerful people in Waterford who could buy silence.
“That paved the way for him to keep on going and ruining the lives of children.”
