A health board entrusted with the care of a 16-year-old girl, whose case has been before Mr Justice Peter Kelly in the High Court in the past year, has confirmed it found evidence to suggest one of its male employees had "an inappropriate sexual relationship" with the girl.
A Garda investigation into the allegations that the man had sexual intercourse with the girl has been completed and sent to the DPP. A decision is expected in the coming weeks.
The man, who is from the UK and was employed through a specialist recruitment agency, left Ireland as soon as he became aware the girl had mentioned the relationship to a third party.
He left the country before his contract with the board finished and has not returned to Ireland. Two detective gardaí flew to England to interview him as part of the criminal investigation but it is understood he did not admit any wrongdoing to them.
The man, who formed a relationship with the then 15-year-old and allegedly had sexual contact with her, was one member of a team of people who had been employed by the health board to implement a care plan drawn up for her to the satisfaction of the High Court.
The extent of the relationship is based primarily on what the girl has said and included being brought to his rented accommodation as well as a shopping day-trip to Dublin where it is alleged one of the sexual encounters took place. He also allowed her to use his mobile telephone.
The girl has been living in a specially adapted therapeutic unit. She had progressed to the stage where she was attending school every day and seeing her family on a regular basis.
However, after this man allegedly abused his position of trust, she became very upset again and remains a cause of great concern to her current carers and family.
In a statement confirming it had found evidence to suggest an inappropriate sexual relationship between a staff member and a young person in its care, the health board involved said it referred the matter to the gardaí and also to the UK employing authority.
"The inquiry team made a number of recommendations, which the board has acted upon. These recommendations were in relation to recruitment issues, supervision and recording."
It is understood that the vetting procedures used by the board were examined and the fact that this man was allowed to be on his own with a young girl came in for particular scrutiny and criticism by the inquiry team.
While the internal inquiry found evidence to suggest sexual contact between them, they could not find sufficient evidence to confirm to their satisfaction the allegation of sexual intercourse.
The possibility that this man may have also formed a sexual relationship with a teenage girl in the UK before he sought work in Ireland has also been raised.