Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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54. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the ongoing engagement she has with an organisation (details supplied) in respect of governance and child protection matters; and if she is in receipt of reports from the organisation. [7068/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Since I became aware of the serious safeguarding and governance issues in Scouting Ireland in 2018, my Department has had ongoing engagement with Scouting Ireland. A number of meetings have taken place between myself and Scouting Ireland during the course of 2018 and in 2019 to date. Most recently I met with representatives of Scouting Ireland on 28 January to be updated on the Independent barrister’s report into issues surrounding an allegation of sexual assault by an adult volunteer against another adult volunteer. My officials met with Scouting Ireland on 7 February to discuss the detail and actions taken in relation to the latest available figures on the allegations of abuse. My officials are also being regularly updated on any internal policy changes.

As the Deputy is aware, in May 2018, I appointed Ms Jillian van Turnhout, as an independent expert, to examine the governance and related issues within Scouting Ireland. In accordance with her Terms of Reference she was asked to provide me with a clear assessment of Scouting Ireland's governance arrangements. Ms van Turnhout submitted her final report on the Review of Scouting Ireland to me on 14 June 2018. The report contained a number of recommendations in the areas of safeguarding, management of the organisation, governance proposals and charities regulation.

Following the election of a new board at an EGM on 6 October 2018 and given the significant progress made by Scouting Ireland in terms of the implementation of the Jillian van Turnhout recommendations and in the essential governance changes committed to by the organisation, funding to Scouting Ireland has been restored until the end of April 2019.

I have requested that my officials continue to monitor the implementation of the outstanding recommendations over the coming months. A further progress report detailing the implementation of the recommendations currently outstanding must be submitted to me by 31st March 2019 in advance of the April 2019 AGM. When I receive all relevant reports, I will be in a position to consider if Scouting Ireland has fully achieved the strong governance required of an organisation in receipt of public funding which would allow for consideration of the full restoration of funding.