Annie Hoey (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Minister of State to outline the rationale for the Department's funding of the role of safeguarding officer in St. John's Ambulance Ireland and to explain if such a funding mechanism will be available for similar organisations. In the reply to a parliamentary question tabled by my party colleague Deputy Ivana Bacik, the Minister stated that the appointment of the national safeguarding officer to St. John's Ambulance Ireland was recommended by Dr. Geoffrey Shannon in his report. The Minister indicated that it is not the role of the Department to enforce Dr. Shannon's report but that, nonetheless and in light of the need to protect the positive work of St. John's Ambulance Ireland and the child volunteers, he is open to providing initial assistance to ensure recommendations can be complied with in a timely manner.

I note the reference to protecting the important work of St. John's Ambulance Ireland. I am curious in that regard. What about protecting survivors? St. John's Ambulance Ireland seems more than capable of protecting itself. It is, as we speak, taking lengthy and expensive legal actions against the survivors of abuse carried out by its members. It seems that the Minister is providing funding because St. John's Ambulance Ireland perhaps does not have its own funds. How, then, is it able to take the legal cases to which I refer? Is the Minister aware of these legal cases and the cost involved? If he is, why is he providing additional funding to a disgraced organisation that clearly has the money? Can the Minister not see how deeply disrespectful this is to survivors? In a further question, is the funding being provided with the caveat that the rest of Dr. Shannon's report must be implemented within X amount of time, or is this money being provided to protect the work? That sounds like a bit of hokum to me.

The implementation of the safeguarding measures is a matter for the organisations involved. I say that in the context of the question I asked about whether similar funding will be provided to other organisations operating in this area. One would think that the Minister might be a little more proactive in enforcing safeguarding measures relating to children, particularly as all of the organisations to which I refer have children involved. I would think that the safeguarding of children should be of utmost importance. It is one of the most important things we should be doing, so I do not know why the funding is not being provided for safeguarding measures across the board. Why is it only being provided for St. John's Ambulance Ireland? The implication seems to be that St. John's Ambulance Ireland is not in a position to do so, but, as I said - and it has been referenced both in this House and the Lower House a number of times - St. John's Ambulance Ireland is taking very lengthy and expensive cases against survivors of abuse carried out by people within its own ranks. I am sure we can all agree that leaves a very ill taste in our mouths.

It is deeply insulting to survivors that the Department is taking a hands-off approach with regard to the rest of the recommendations in Dr. Shannon's report - in other words, it is up to St. John's Ambulance Ireland to implement them - but it is willing to step in on this matter, which involves a financial connection. I want to understand - and to know whether this has been reported to the Minister - why St. John's Ambulance Ireland is not in a position to fund the safeguarding officer when, as I said and as has been referenced in this House a number of times, it has the money for these very expensive legal cases against survivors of abuse carried out by individuals within its own ranks. Has the provision of said funding come with a time-bound guarantee to enforce the remaining recommendations in Dr. Shannon's report. If it has not come with that quid pro quo agreement between the Minister and St. John's Ambulance Ireland, why is that the case? Is the Minister willing to go back and perhaps negotiate that it should be part of it?