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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

St John Ambulance abuse report

Summary

Deputy Pringle said survivors of child sexual abuse were still waiting for St. John Ambulance Ireland to implement recommendations from Judge Shannon’s report. The Tánaiste called it a very serious matter and said he would speak to the Minister for Children and report back.

On 28 November 2022, Judge Geoffrey Shannon informed survivors of child sexual abuse that he had submitted his report to the board of St. John Ambulance Ireland. In February, I raised the fact that it had been nearly a year since the publication of the damning report but that survivors were still waiting on St. John Ambulance to implement the recommendations. Today, survivors are still waiting for these recommendations to be implemented. It is completely unacceptable that this has been allowed to continue. Survivors have already been through so much. They had to fight to ensure the report was carried out in the first place. Then they had to fight to ensure it was published. It is disgraceful that they now have to fight even further to ensure those recommendations are implemented. The Minister with responsibility for children retains oversight of the report and its implementation so there is a role for Government in this. Will the Government ensure that the recommendations of the Shannon report into the management of historical child sex abuse within St. John Ambulance are implemented?

Comment on this

I will talk to the Minister for children about this very serious issue. I would be somewhat surprised if the recommendations were not being followed through. I will get a report back from the Department of children in respect of this and forward it to the Deputy.

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