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Abuse victims have launched a scathing attack on Fianna Fail after a whistle-blower within the party revealed that secret meetings were held to discuss “containing the story” after one of its members was charged with abusing young boys.

The whistle-blower told The Irish Mirror that it was “Waterford’s dirtiest secret” and the party was worried that the truth would damage its reputation.

In more shocking claims, the grassroots member insists that senior members of the party also knew about paedophile Bill Kenneally.

“It was widely known down here that you never went near him (Bill Kenneally) so it is just not possible that we knew and no one knew in Dublin.”

They added: “It’s a very closed shop, but everything points towards them knowing an awful lot about what went on.

"But there is a blind loyalty.

“It’s the old boys club looking after each other.”

Waterford paedophile Kenneally was a tallyman with the party. His first cousin Brendan Kenneally was a former junior minister and his late uncle Billy Kenneally was a TD.

Kenneally, a former basketball coach, was jailed for 14 years in February 2016 for abusing ten boys in the 1980s.

The whistle-blower said that secret meetings began in 2013 when a criminal investigation began after a number of victims came forward.

“They met under the guise of discussing another problem, but they were actually there to discuss containing the story.”

Victim Jason Clancy told the Irish Daily Mirror: “It’s absolutely repugnant to think that these Fianna Fail members in Waterford who are parents themselves to be actively trying to supress the crimes of a paedophile all in the name of saving their beloved political party.”

(Image: patrick browne)

He added: “Absolute shame on them. They should hang their heads in shame.”

Last month the then Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald appointed retired judge Barry Hickson to chair a Commission of Investigation.

Victims pushed for a public inquiry because they believed that members of Fianna Fail, gardai, the South Eastern Health Board and the Catholic Church all knew about the abuse and turned a blind eye.

As part of their campaign they met with party leader Micheal Martin and Justice Spokesperson Jim O’Callaghan at Leinster House last November.

Mr Clancy said:“I walked out of that meeting and naively thought that they wanted to blast this thing open, but it looks like all of the time they’ve been trying to suppress the truth.

“I thought that Bill Kenneally being a part of Fianna Fail no longer protected him, but obviously we were wrong.”

Fianna Fail were contacted, but no one was available to comment.