HEALTH MINISTER STEPHEN Donnelly has said victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by Michael Shine “will not be found wanting” in terms of any healthcare supports they need, but stated the decision to hold a public inquiry is matter for the Minister for Justice, Taoiseach and party leaders.
The health minister also raised the question if the decision to not publish a 2009/2010 report into the abuse should be revisited.
A group calling for a public inquiry into the sexual abuse carried out by Shine, who is considered one of Ireland’s most prolific paedophiles, broke their silence for the first time yesterday in a series of exclusive, in-depth interviews with The Journal.
Hundreds of men claim that they were abused by the former surgeon, now 93, over decades, but in 2024, he is a free man after serving just three years in prison.
A leading human rights law firm has now announced that it is acting for the group seeking a Commission of Investigation to probe claims that health and religious authorities failed to stop the abuse.
Many of Shine’s victims were treated by him at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth, where he began working as a senior registrar in 1964 and was quickly promoted to consultant in 1968, staying at the hospital until 1995.
To date, more than 200 victims have settled civil claims against the Medical Missionaries of Mary. Many of the men were instructed to sign non-disclosure agreements, which meant that they could not talk to or support one another as they tried to recover from the trauma.
Shine was found guilty of assaults against nine boys at two trials, in 2017 and 2019, but campaigners believe there are many more survivors.
Taoiseach Simon Harris said yesterday that government will discuss calls for a public inquiry and commended the victims for speaking “with courage and in a vivid manner”.
“I want to thank them for that,” said Harris.
Speaking to The Journal, the health minister said his department’s focus is on supporting the survivors and supporting the patient advocacy group by working with them on healthcare needs for survivors.
“Any calls around a statutory inquiry is a matter for Justice [department]. I’ll leave any considerations of that to Helen McEntee and the Taoiseach and party leaders. It’s not a healthcare issue,” he said.
One report, carried out in 2009 by a High Court judge, sits unpublished due to a legal technicality over who actually owns the report. There was controversy at the time over the matter, with the then-health minister Mary Harney telling the Dáil that the judge had recommended that it should not be made public due to possible criminal proceedings that were ongoing at the time.
Donnelly referenced the report, stating:
“I am aware that there was a report done in 2009/10 and given to Mary Harney and the recommendation was not to proceed with further investigation, and I believe that was partly to not undermine some of the cases that were being taken by some of the survivors.
So you know, whether or not it’s time to review that, I think it’s a matter for party leaders, and a matter for Helen McEntee.
“But I want to make sure is that we keep working with the patient group to make sure that they get the supports they need. Because what happened was horrific.”
Donnelly added that what happened to the victims was “wrong”, stating:
We need to support them. From a healthcare perspective, if there are any additional healthcare needs that any of their members need, we will not be found wanting.
In terms of any steps towards an inquiry, the minister said he has “no doubt” government will reflect on the matter.
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