Tánaiste Simon Harris has appealed to anyone who may have information in relation to claims made in the Jeffrey Epstein files to go to gardaí, after an allegation of sex trafficking was raised in the Dáil.
Gardaí are not currently investigating allegations relating to Ireland contained in the Epstein files, which include a wide range of material from personal emails to investigation materials. They include an allegation from a woman claiming she was trafficked to Ireland as a 13-year-old child.
Harris said he would discuss references to Ireland made in the Epstein files with the Taoiseach and Minister for Justice.
Labour TD Duncan Smith told the chamber on Thursday he had written to the Taoiseach to seek international co-operation for an inquiry to be made regarding the allegation.
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An email summarising a call by a woman to the FBI on October 22nd, 2024, was among the tranche of 3.5 million documents related to the Epstein case released by the US department of justice earlier this month.
The email sets out how the woman claimed she was trafficked for sexual purposes. She said she was “taken from an apartment she was living in” when aged five years and “cut in the throat” before being moved to Fresno, California, about two years later and “taken again” to an unspecified location aged 12-13 years.
She was then brought to Paris where she was raped by three men, she said, who were part of an organisation that “take naked photos of young girls”.
After Paris she “flew to Ireland for politicians and notable men”, the email says, summarising the woman’s claims. “They would have sex with the young women and she was taken from Ireland and brought to Jeffrey Epstein island when she was 13 years old.”
It went on to say that she was there “when Tony Hawk got married on the island”.
Hawk has since issued a statement saying he never met Epstein or went to his island – Little Saint James in the US Virgin Islands.
Smith said the statement was “not the only concerning document” released in the files relating to Ireland.
“Within them is an email from one David Wassong to Ghislaine Maxwell and it reads ‘are you going to send me the names and numbers of people to play with in Ireland’,” he said.
“Our State has a dark history when it comes to the abuse of children and we have seen a history of those in power, be it politicians, the clergy or police, where investigations can be shelved, victims and injustices can be ignored.”
The Dublin Fingal East TD said politicians had to be “proactive here at the very least”.
“We need to see some form of action from the Irish State to fully explore what is in those statements and those emails alone, and indeed, if there is anything further,” he said.
In response, the Tánaiste said “we are all absolutely appalled, sickened and disgusted” at the “depraved conduct” in the Epstein files.
“Of course, all law authorities, enforcement agencies and police forces are going to have to play any role that is appropriate or important in relation to answers, truth and justice. My understanding at present is there has not been specific information in relation to the gardaí and the likes,” he said.
The Fine Gael leader said on foot of the matter being raised in the Dáil he would discuss it further with the Taoiseach and Minister for Justice.
“Of course, I appeal to any person in this country who may have any information at all regarding that to please go to the gardaí and make that information available,” he added.
“It is safe enough to say that what you clearly had here is vulnerable young women in a powerful network of despicable powerful men who abused that and carried out depraved acts.”
