Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Since November we have waited for the publication of Dr. Geoffrey Shannon's report on his investigation of abuse into St. John Ambulance. While it is important to state that I and my party, Fianna Fáil, as well the Minister, believe the report must be published, it is more important to put on the record why Mick Finnegan, the tireless campaigner, believes this publication to be in the public interest. I welcome Mick to the Gallery tonight. He is here and listening to what I am saying. Without his bravery and tenacity in seeking truth and justice, we would not be here debating this issue.

The following is based on what Mick has said to me. He says that in the past few years a man synonymous with children's rights, advocacy and protection has painstakingly listened to many voices, including his own. He says it was thanks to that care shown and the understanding of Dr. Geoffrey Shannon that he feels strong enough to speak out to us, his representatives. He says the report into the darkest times in St. John Ambulance was commissioned by that organisation to shine a light on the truth of events. He says he knows the truth of those events: that he lives the truth every day. He says that he and thousands of others, victims of sexual abuse, cannot choose the time of the day or night to think and dwell upon what was stolen, irreplaceable, childhood and innocence. He says he never knew truth could be physically heavy, not until he and many more silent victims were once again denied a simple act of transparency to allow the truth to come out. He says he earnestly hopes that none of us ever has to carry this weight. He says he knows this House is well aware of the actual refusal, despite the words of St. John Ambulance, to release Dr. Shannon's report. He thanks so many of us who courageously spoke out to call for the release of the report. In particular, he wants to thank the President, Michael D. Higgins, for his heartfelt intervention and to quote him from a different poem in an early context:

The Prophets are weeping,

For the words that have been stolen,

From texts that once offered,

To reveal in ancient times,

A shared space,

Of love and care,

Above all for the stranger.

Mick says that today he and others feel like a stranger in their own land. The continual refusal to publish the truth of the organisation acts as a further abuse, not a historical one, but is seared into their everyday lives. He says that once again, they feel as children in the dominion of those who hold power over them and their story. He says that this House can help to remove that hold over others.

He goes on to say it can insist that those great voluntary organisations, which do so much for our youth and our culture and in a major way define our country as one of the finest places to live, cease all connections with this organisation until the unaltered report is published and our citizens can see and learn from a truth that has blighted so many lives. Those are Mick's own words, which are very passionate. I am delighted to read them out tonight.

This is not the end, however. Survivors need this report to be published - full stop. There are no reasons for St. John Ambulance to do otherwise. Have we not learned that openness and truthfulness are key when addressing such issues of abuse? In addition to President Higgins, a number of parties have called for this report to be published. I put on record Fianna Fáil's call for this report to be published. As I have said many times in the Chamber regarding so many horrors in our past, survivors must be listened to. They are at the centre of this and deserve to have the report published. The Minister has written to the organisation asking that this be done. I ask him again to do all he can in his power to make sure this report is published.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I join her in welcoming Mick to the Gallery. I am glad of the opportunity to speak on the record of the House on this issue.

Reports of historical sexual abuse in St. John Ambulance in the 1990s have been highlighted in recent years by a number of Deputies and Senators. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, highlighted it when she in opposition. I engaged with St. John Ambulance in 2021 regarding how the organisation proposed to respond to these reports. Dr. Geoffrey Shannon, senior counsel, an internationally recognised expert in child protection, was subsequently commissioned by the board of St. John Ambulance in March 2021 to conduct an independent review into the handling of historical child sexual abuse within St. John Ambulance.

As I am sure the Deputy is aware, the Charities Regulator, under the aegis of the Department of Rural and Community Development, is Ireland's statutory regulator for charitable organisations, including St. John Ambulance. I and my Department do not have a role in the governance of St. John Ambulance. Nevertheless, as we well know, abuse is not consigned to the past and it is my role in collaboration with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to protect children now. As previously advised in my statement to this House in December 2022, the terms of reference of the review, as fully agreed by Dr. Shannon, set out that he would examine how St. John Ambulance handled past allegations of child sexual abuse. The review was also tasked with examining the current standard of child safeguarding in the organisation. Tusla is responsible for assessing any current risk to children arising from historical allegations of abuse. Tusla has liaised with St. John Ambulance regarding the progress of the review and to improve safeguarding processes within the organisation. The St. John Ambulance safeguarding statement, revised under advice from Tusla, has now been deemed compliant by the Tusla safeguarding statement compliance unit.

I wrote to St. John Ambulance in December 2022 to enquire as to the status of the report. I received a reply from the commissioner that the report was complete, had been received by St. John Ambulance and would be subject to legal review. In reply, the commissioner noted that the survivors are understandably eager to review the findings of the report and reiterated that the board of St. John Ambulance was committed to publishing the full report immediately after the relevant legal review had taken place. The reply from St. John Ambulance further stated the board was committed to ensuring the legal review was as quick and efficient as possible.

I again wrote to St. John Ambulance on 26 January. I again urged publication as early as possible, noting that the delay in publishing this report is of great concern. Each delay in publication risks a further diminution in the trust of survivors in this process, and it is the survivors who are central to all of this. I once again reiterate and strongly urge the publication of this report and that it be made available to survivors as soon as possible.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister. It is very important, from speaking to Mick tonight, to note the work the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, have done on this matter and that they have spoken to and met with Mick regularly. That is very important and Mick has been very appreciative of it. As the Minister said, however, this is about the survivors, including Mick. This is how we now need to make sure we get this report. As the Minister said, the report was completed by Dr. Shannon in early November. It was handed over to St. John Ambulance on 28 November. That was ten weeks ago. We are now nearly three months on. I am glad the Minister mentioned that he wrote again on 26 January, which I welcome. However, it is unfair on the survivors that we have not got that report. I ask all the representatives in the House to make sure we all stand united to get that report. It is important we have support for that from all parties tonight but the situation is unacceptable. We need to get this report urgently.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Like the Deputy, I see the strong support across both Houses for swift publication of this report. I spoke in the Seanad just before Christmas during statements there on the importance of rapid publication. This review of practices within St. John Ambulance has been asked for by survivors for a long time. It is extremely important to them in their ability to seek - I do not want to use the word "closure" - a recognition of what happened to them, not only the sexual abuse itself but the manner in which their complaints to, or engagement with, an organisation that should have protected them were handled. That is why it is so important the outcome of that review is published in full and rapidly. It is also important there is direct engagement with survivors and that they are able to see directly the outcome of this report and do not read excerpts from it in media publications.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I again thank Mick for joining us this evening. I reiterate on the record of the House my call for this review to be published as soon as possible.