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

While I acknowledge that failures in previous decades were undoubtedly highlighted in RTÉ's "Scouts Dishonour" programme, the programme also outlined details of a case that involved an alleged abuser who was reported to the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s but was only removed from Scouting Ireland in 2018. That is not a historical failure but a current one. Scouting Ireland's full review conducted in August 2012 found that no volunteers active in the commissioning organisation in 2012 were found to be named in the legacy files. Based on the information aired on RTÉ, this is not the case. How is it that an alleged abuser was able to continue in his role with Scouting Ireland even though the accusations had been reported in previous decades? Was his file overlooked in 2012, and if so, why?

Scouting Ireland has provided a breakdown of 401 sexual abuse files it has in its possession. All of them have been reported to the appropriate authorities, which is reassuring. It is important to refer to Scouting Ireland's safeguarding file overview of 29 March 2019. Deputy Farrell, Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs, spoke about the 995 files. They were broken down as follows: 457 as abuse, 516 as not abuse, and ten other files. On the abuse classification, 401 were classified as sexual abuse, 13 were classified as emotional, five were classified as neglect, and 38 were classified as physical. The sexual abuse breakdown was 321 adult on youth, two were adult on adult, seven were unclassified, and 70 were youth on youth. Scouting Ireland talks continuously about the 321 from the breakdown. There are still another 70 to 80 files that we have not discussed. What is not clear to me - I put this question to Scouting Ireland last week and followed up with it today when its representatives were before the committee, but I am still awaiting a reply - is how many of the 401 files are historical files from the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland and the Scouting Association of Ireland and how many relate to Scouting Ireland files that have been created between its founding in 2003 and 2019. We must have clarity on this issue, but it does not appear to be forthcoming.

It is crucial that an independent, statutory inquiry is held into the child abuse allegations in the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland, the Scouting Association of Ireland and Scouting Ireland. Mr. Geoffrey Shannon, the former special rapporteur on child protection, has said any review must be independent, prompt, effective and transparent. While I do not doubt Ian Elliott's qualifications or professionalism in conducting this so-called learning review, it does not change the fact that Scouting Ireland previously employed Mr. Elliott as its interim safeguarding manager in 2018. The level of independence is questionable. It is clear there must be an independent inquiry to ensure wrongdoing is exposed and the structural failings in these organisations are documented. The Minister, Deputy Zappone, must immediately outline what her Department is doing to address these serious issues. I welcome her announcement last week in the Dáil regarding Jillian van Turnhout conducting another comprehensive review on what was recommended previously. Trust has been broken and we must remedy this urgently.

It is important to acknowledge the volunteers and scout troops throughout the country. They have been rocked by what has been happening for the past 18 months in Scouting Ireland. "Prime Time" programmes and Oireachtas debates do nothing to instil confidence in parents, volunteers and children. It is a fabulous organisation at grassroots level. It is supported and embedded in most communities in Ireland and I wish to see that continue. However, governance is required, and stability and reassurance must come down from the top.

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