merrion street

Yesterday evening we witnessed the distressing first hand testimony of survivors of abuse on the RTÉ Investigates programme, Scouts DisHonour.  Minister Zappone commends the fortitude and bravery of those who spoke about their harrowing experiences and the impact this continues to have on their lives.

This is confirmation of instances of the abuse of children and a clear failure to keep them safe while in the care of Scouting organisations in Ireland. It demonstrates a serious failure in child protection and safe-guarding of children by these organisations at the time.

The historical failure in governance which facilitated abusers to carry out their despicable crimes against children depicts a culture and behaviour that at times placed more value on the organisation than the children it purported to benefit.

This historical failure cannot be repeated. The Minister has been assured by progress with safeguarding in Scouting Ireland. The recommendations set out in the independent review of Senator Jillian van Turnhout in June 2018 have been implemented in full.  In addition, Scouting Ireland are very close to full completion of the actions agreed with Tusla in March 2019.

Minister Zappone has extended funding for Scouting Ireland until April 2020.  This will allow her and her officials to consider the Review of Historical Sexual Abuse, which is being prepared by safeguarding consultant Ian Elliott, which is due to be completed in February 2020.

The Government will give careful consideration to the question of an appropriate statutory investigation and will take a decision as soon as possible on the best way to proceed. The Minister is very conscious of the need to ensure that no action taken now would prejudice any criminal investigation relating to these matters.

The Minister said:

Everybody involved in activities with children has a moral and legal responsibility to keep them safe.  I introduced mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse almost two years ago.  Children have a right to be safe from abuse and harm.  We have introduced laws and regulations to protect them.  But we also need to be vigilant.  We need to believe children.

Those that shared their stories on RTE Investigates were not given these protections and have carried the consequences with them into adulthood.  The people who abused them are guilty of a heinous crime. Those who should have safeguarded and protected them from the abusers also bear guilt.