Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

A group of protesters stood at the gates of Leinster House yesterday calling for the immediate publication of Dr. Geoffrey Shannon's report into historical child sexual abuse allegations within St. John Ambulance Ireland, SJAI. It has been reported that the organisation's board received the report a number of weeks ago, yet it is not expected to be published until some time in 2023. It is reasonable to arrive at the conclusion that if the reports findings were favourable to SJAI, it would have been published by now. The delay in its publication is compounding the profound sense of hurt felt by survivors and is retraumatising victims. Survivors also feel that their story has been eclipsed by recent revelations of child sex abuse at the hands of members of the Spiritans and that their suffering is not being given the priority it deserves. Will the Government break the silence and commit to the full publication of Dr. Shannon's report, which is clearly in the public interest and in the interest of survivors?

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