Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael)
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I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee today. I want to acknowledge that Dr. Shannon is a very much respected person in our State. He is now a member of the Judiciary, having been a children's ombudsman, practising solicitor and noted author on a lot of child protection matters and children in this country. The report he produced has been published and there has been a response document from St. John Ambulance in which it accepts all of the findings of the report and all of the recommendations and commits to implementing those recommendations. I want to acknowledge that, as well as the fact that it has issued an apology. I want to acknowledge that at the same time as it is saying it accepts the report, will implement everything and engage with Tusla, it is vigorously defending personal injuries claims down in the High Court.

It is alleging those who are making allegations are liars and making several others in their defence. In public it says one thing but in the privacy of the Four Courts it is saying something completely different. This is contemptible. I also want to note-----