The Health Services Executive said it will carry out an inquiry, led by an independent chairperson, into how a college lecturer was able to remain in his post two years after he was convicted of a sexual offence the Netherlands.Dr Niall McElwee resigned from Athlone Institute of Technology on 5 July after his employer said it first became aware of his conviction.
It was disclosed yesterday that both the gardaí and the Midland Health Board had been aware of an allegation of a sexual offence against Dr McElwee as far back as 2004.
The college lecturer had been on a visit to Amsterdam to study drug addiction when it was alleged that he had been involved in an attempted sexual offence against a group of girls.
He was accompanied on the visit by a garda sergeant who had been nominated from the Regional Drugs Task Force.
The sergeant, who was not present when the alleged offence took place, later informed the garda authorities and the Midland Health Board.
Dr McElwee was later convicted of attempted indecent assault.
In a statement this morning, the HSE says it would carry out an inquiry without delay and that the terms of reference would be agreed over the coming days.
Fine Gael has said an internal investigation is not sufficient and has called for an external inquiry.
Its health spokesman Brian Hayes said the HSE had serious questions to answer and that legitimate public concern deserved an external investigation.
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