Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The advertisement had gone into the paper the day before our previous meeting with Scouting Ireland. It is unfortunate that we are having another meeting now but the safeguarding officer has still not been appointed. I accept that, following all the furore about this, it would have been difficult to recruit such a person.

I would welcome an announcement on that tomorrow. I am also reassured when the witnesses say there will be collective and collaborative working between Tusla and Scouting Ireland and that it is going to be dated. What happened on that particular week left a very sour taste in the mouth for the vast majority of the 40,000 volunteers and parents in the various clubs and dens around the country. They felt very let down and that each one of them had been tarnished with the one brush, which was highly unfortunate. As Deputy Sherlock noted, as far as they were concerned they were compliant and were doing what was asked of them. That must be acknowledged. I believe that Tusla must be stronger on that point.