Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to be able to respond on behalf of the Minister with responsibility for children. I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and offering me the opportunity to respond.

The Government wants to acknowledge the trauma associated with sexual abuse in childhood, which continues into adulthood affecting many aspects of the victims-survivors' lives and the impact it has had on those victims-survivors. The Minister for children is clear that all of the recommendations in Dr. Geoffrey Shannon's report should be complied with as soon as practicable by St. John Ambulance Ireland. The Department of children has been assured that St. John Ambulance Ireland is fully committed to ensuring that it assists and provides support to all victims-survivors. A written organisational apology has been issued by St. John Ambulance to all known victims-survivors. The written apology has also been posted to the organisation's website to ensure transparency and awareness among victims-survivors and others. The Department of children has engaged with St. John Ambulance on a number of occasions since the publication of Dr. Shannon's report and will continue that engagement relating to the issues raised in that report and its 11 main recommendations, in particular in respect of support to survivors of abuse. St. John Ambulance Ireland is not a body under the aegis of the Department of children. This is because it is independent in its functions as a registered charity. The Minister for children has no role in the governance of the organisation. Oversight of the governance of this charity is a matter for the Charities Regulator. That authority, under the remit of the Department of Rural and Community Development, is Ireland's statutory regulator for charitable organisations, including St. John Ambulance Ireland.

A key recommendation of Dr. Shannon's report was for the appointment of a national safeguarding officer to St. John Ambulance Ireland. In 2024, the previous Minister for children took the initiative to provide once-off funding for the appointment of a national safeguarding officer for St. John Ambulance Ireland for a specified period of 12 months. This was to ensure that recommendations from Dr. Geoffrey Shannon's report were implemented in full and to review the organisation's child safeguarding policies and procedures. This work is ongoing. The national safeguarding officer ensures that an extra layer of oversight and governance is present. This, in turn, strengthens the efficiency of the governance regime in the organisation. It should be noted the safeguarding officer is independent in his work from St. John Ambulance Ireland. The Department of children is still engaging with St. John Ambulance Ireland and progress is being made on the implementation of all 11 recommendations.

St. John Ambulance Ireland recently published its fourth progress report on the implementation of the recommendations, highlighting the progress it has made as an organisation. There have been many developments regarding the implementation of the recommendations. The national safeguarding officer was asked by St. John Ambulance Ireland to review the adequacy and effectiveness of the organisation's response to complaints of sexual abuse within the organisation. The safeguarding officer is reviewing the organisation's child safeguarding statement and its child safeguarding policy and procedures. It is understood that these are deemed to be robust and clear but that there are opportunities for enhancement. This review will be further informed by the outcome of an audit of all 22 St. John Ambulance Ireland branches throughout the country in respect of the implementation of Children First. The review is being undertaken by the national safeguarding officer.

St. John Ambulance Ireland has given assurances that the updated Garda vetting policy and procedures for 2025 have been approved by its board. The adult volunteer process specifies that members must undergo a Children First learning programme and the organisation's safeguarding programme training before they can be vetted. This is to prevent local branches allowing people to attend for duties when they are vetted but without the appropriate safeguarding training. This is very important. Members being revetted must have completed Children First e-learning and St. John Ambulance Ireland safeguarding training in the same calendar year as their vetting. Following the recommendations by the national safeguarding officer, a new risk assessment template is being developed as part of the revised child safeguarding statement. It is recommended that a yearly safeguarding workshop be made mandatory for all members of the organisation involved in leadership. This will be an opportunity to upskill and update on safeguarding matters.

St. John Ambulance Ireland recognises that safeguarding best practices will continue to evolve and the Department of children will continue to review its operations to ensure they meet and exceed the standard so the mistakes of the past do not happen again. St. John Ambulance Ireland has made supports available to those affected following the publication of the report, including outreach support and counselling and therapeutic services funding by the organisation. These supports are provided on an anonymous basis and funded in full by St. John Ambulance Ireland.

Officials from the Department of children are due to meet the commissioner of St. John Ambulance Ireland and the national safeguarding officer in the near future to further review the implementation of Dr. Shannon's recommendations and the ongoing work of the national safeguarding officer. In light of the progress made to date, and the comprehensive and robust measures already in place and due to be put in place, it is the view of the Minister for children that a statutory inquiry is not required. St. John Ambulance Ireland is making continued efforts to ensure that all of Dr. Shannon's recommendations are fully implemented. The Government looks forward to further progress being made on the implementation of Dr. Shannon's recommendations and the finalisation of the work of the national safeguarding officer this year.