Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)

In this country we respect the medical profession and it is right to do so. It does a fantastic job. Being a parent, I know all too well how much I depend on my family doctor. I trust in him for my own life and the lives of my children. Above all, I trust his professional medical opinion. People should feel safe and protected in a local GP's surgery or hospital, but this may not always be the case. In the recent past, when I had to accompany one of my children to have her tonsils removed, I was reluctant to sign the consent forms. The doctor guided me through exactly how he would perform the tonsillectomy and reassured me that my daughter was in safe hands.

When the allegations of sexual assault and professional misconduct by Mr. Michael Shine first came to light, people were shocked and horrified that such things could happen. Mr. Shine was a well respected consultant surgeon. He was responsible for treating seriously ill patients in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. When a number of patients lodged complaints of misconduct against him, they were largely ignored by the hospital. It took the courage of a member of the staff to blow the whistle and draw attention to what had allegedly taken place in Mr. Shine's consultation rooms in the hospital. In 2003 he was acquitted of 11 charges of indecent assault on six teenage boys, but the Irish Medical Council struck him off the register of medical practitioners for inappropriate conduct. He has not yet been properly investigated or prosecuted for the crimes of which he stands accused. This is another appalling case of abuse which was all too quickly swept under the carpet. I cannot understand why people in this country stick their heads in the sand and ignore cries for help. We all need to speak out. Nobody is beyond the law, regardless of his or her professional qualifications or good name. Anyone who commits a crime must be brought to justice. Mr. Shine stands accused of horrifying crimes and betraying his position as a care giver in the community. Once again, it took a long time for this to come to light and many have suffered in silence. Over 140 people have now contacted Dignity 4 Patients. The group was set up to give a voice to victims who said they had been abused over 30 years when Mr. Shine worked in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.

Last week we saw Deputies on both sides of the House speaking about the Ryan report. They condemned the horrific abuse inflicted on children by pillars of society in religious orders. In the case of Mr. Shine, we can see how someone who had been entrusted with the care of others abused his position by inflicting suffering on young adults and their families who had only sought his medical care. As he has been deemed unfit to practice medicine by the Medical Council, why has no official investigation taken place? The victims cannot move on until justice has been done and we must support them as much as we can. That is why I am supporting the motion tabled by Deputies Reilly and O'Sullivan. We all need somebody we can trust, people to whom we can turn and rely on such as our family, a friend or our GP. Trust is precious and now in our society more important than ever before. It provides people with courage and strength. When trust is broken, people are left shattered. For many people who have been abused, their lives are changed forever. Many may never recover, but we must do all we can to assure them we are on their side and that we are there for them.

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