Academic cannot recall McElwee reference
Thursday July 19 2007
A SENIOR academic who is believed to have provided a reference in 2001 for disgraced child-care expert Niall McElwee says he has no recollection of writing it.
Dr McElwee was forced to resign from Athlone Institute of Technology two weeks ago when details emerged of a conviction for attempted indecent assault involving teenage girls in Amsterdam in June 2004.
Dr John Ennis, head of the School of Humanities at Waterford Institute of Technology (IT), told the Irish Independent it was "fruitless to speculate on something I don't have hard evidence on.
"I don't recall writing it," he said. "It is at such a remove and there is nothing in the records. There is no copy of it here. I don't have a record of what was supposed to have been written."
Dr McElwee was a lecturer in social care at Waterford IT, working under the umbrella of the School of Humanities, between 1992 and 2001, before moving to Athlone IT.
During his time in Waterford, Dr McElwee was instructed by college authorities to desist from showing to students some sexually explicit photographs. Athlone IT was not aware of this when they employed him.
Apart from their shared academic interests, Dr Ennis and Dr McElwee were co-authors of a book of poetry about the Canadian railway, Oisin's Journey Home, A Keen at the Gates of the Heart. It was published last year by Waterford IT and the Centre for Child and Youth Care Learning at Athlone IT, of which Dr McElwee was director.
The book was launched in Newfoundland, with which Dr Ennis has a strong relationship through the Centre for Newfoundland and Labrador Studies at Waterford IT, which he heads up.
The centre focuses on research on the shared historical and cultural connections between Waterford and Newfoundland.
Dr McElwee has also maintained close professional links with Canada, He is a senior partner in a Canadian-Irish child and youth care consultancy, CanEir Consulting, and up to last week's revelations had a part-time professorship in the University of Victoria, British Columbia.
It is understood that Dr Ennis was one of three referees contacted by Athlone Institute of Technology prior to Dr McElwee taking up a position there in 2001.
One referee was an appropriate line manager and the other two were in the wider child welfare area.
All three are understood to have complied with a request to fill in a questionnaire supplied by Athlone IT.
Record
Waterford IT has said there is no record on file to indicate Dr McElwee sought a reference from the institute.
"His letter of resignation did not request a reference. If a reference was provided by a staff member at the institute, this was not provided on behalf of the institute."
The terms of reference for the inquiry to be headed by management consultant Conal Devine into the handling of information in Garda possession relating to the Amsterdam incident will be published today.
Dr McElwee flew into Galway late on Tuesday night but refused to answer questions about the scandal.
He had not been seen in public since it emerged that he had quit his job at Athlone Institute of Technology.
Dr McElwee is understood to have flown to Scotland to stay with friends as news of his sexual antics at an Amsterdam hotel in June 2004 made national headlines. But shortly before 11pm on Tuesday, he flew into Galway Airport from Edinburgh. Dr McElwee lives in Athenry with his wife and young son.
A small group of people had gathered at the arrivals area to meet him and there was a minor scuffle as a cameraman attempted to film his arrival. Looking strained, Dr McElwee was hurried outside the small group.
- Katherine Donnelly
