Thomas Pringle TD
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Pringle calls on Government to ensure Shannon report recommendations are implemented

Pringle calls on Government to ensure Shannon report recommendations are implemented

Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, has pressed Government to ensure the recommendations of the Shannon report into the management of historical child sexual abuse within St John Ambulance are implemented.

Addressing the Tánaiste in the Dáil today, Deputy Pringle said: “On the 28th of November 2022, Judge Geoffrey Shannon informed survivors of child sexual abuse that he had submitted his report to the board of St John Ambulance Ireland. 

“In February I raised the fact that it had nearly been a year since the publication of the damning report, but that survivors were still waiting on St John Ambulance to implement Geoffrey Shannon’s recommendations.

“Today, survivors are still waiting for these recommendations to be implemented.

“It’s completely unacceptable that this has been allowed to continue. Survivors have already been through so much. They had to fight to ensure the report was carried out in the first place and then had to fight to ensure it was published. 

“It is disgraceful to force survivors to fight even further to ensure that recommendations are implemented. And the Minister for Children retains oversight of the report and the implementation of the report, so there is a role for government in this,” he said.

The deputy raised the issue during Questions on police or legislation.

Deputy Pringle said: “Will your government ensure that the recommendations of the Shannon report into the management of historical child sexual abuse within St John Ambulance are implemented?”

In his response, the Tánaiste, Micheál Martin, said he will get a report back from the Department of Children in respect to this and will forward it to Deputy Pringle.