Mr. Gearóid Begley:

The task before me since I took up this post is to ensure that processes are in place which give confidence to parents and to ensure that, where issues are raised, they are properly addressed. That is the challenge for the organisation. We recognise that. Public confidence and parents' confidence and trust in Scouting Ireland is very important. The task facing Scouting Ireland, which my team and I have undertaken, is to put processes in place to make sure that, where a disclosure is made, it is properly recorded, that the decision-making process in respect of the disclosure is also recorded, and that if the disclosure meets the threshold of harm set out by Tusla, a report is made as mandated and all information is provided to the statutory agency.

If the disclosure does not meet the threshold of harm for a mandated report, we ask whether it is still a cause for concern. Consideration is given to making a report on that basis. If a disclosure does not meet either standard, we ask whether action needs to be taken. We then go back to the person who made the disclosure and tell him or her that, after consideration, we have decided that it either came under one of those two categories or that we do not believe it meets the thresholds. We may have a suggestion as to what action should be taken within the organisation but we tell the person who made the disclosure that, if he or she is not happy with our suggestion, he or she is at liberty to make a report to the relevant State agency, which may be An Garda Síochána, Tusla, the PSNI, or Gateway. If we do make a report, we liaise with the State agency involved. If it needs any information from our records, we make it available. On occasion a member of Scouting Ireland may have to make a witness statement that could become part of a criminal prosecution. That is part of the process.

I could talk about it at more length but it is part of ensuring that systems are in place to record disclosures, the decisions made on such disclosures, the feedback given to those who make disclosures, and the information provided to State agencies in that regard. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating. We built on what Mr. Ian Elliott had done. We are developing it further. We are always conscious that this is a movable feast. Things change and we have constantly to review and improve what we are doing. It will never reach an endgame. We will always have to move forward to mitigate risk and improve what we are doing.