Louth's Byrne: Scoping exercise 'an important first step towards justice'

Louth Sinn Féin TD, Joanna Byrne, has welcomed the news that the Minister for Health has heeded the call from victims and will bring a memo to Cabinet regarding a 16-week scoping exercise to lay the pathway for a statutory inquiry process into decades of abuse by convicted sexual offender Michael Shine. 

Having discussed the news with Dignity 4 Patients the organisation that currently supports and represents over 390 people, Deputy Byrne stated. 

“While newly elected in this Dail term, like so many other local families I am aware of the immense pain and trauma that survivors of Michael Shine have faced, and of the long and difficult path they have walked with Dignity 4 Patients in their fight for truth and justice – so I am heartened to hear that they have welcomed this news, and feel heard. However, I acknowledge the fact that many are cautiously optimistic and will need to consider what is being proposed."

Deputy Byrne continued: "In April this year it was my privilege as a Drogheda based TD to host Dignity 4 Patients in Leinster House, where survivors Larry, Cianan, Gerard, Peter and Ian bravely shared their heartbreaking personal testimony directly with Oireachtas members.

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"Cross-party TD’s and Senators who joined my presentation that day, were genuinely moved by the campaign and committed to supporting their call. The group have since gone on to meet An Taoiseach, and the Minister for Health, and continue to campaign. Their resilience and determination is inspiring. 

"This is an important first step towards justice and transparency, and crucially it must lead to a commission of investigation where victims and survivors finally get answers to long-standing questions about how their sexual abuse was handled by Our Lady of Lourdes hospital, the religious order running the hospital, the Medical Missionaries of Mary, And Garda Síochána, and successive Departments of Health.

"49 years has passed from the reporting of the first complaint of sexual abuse by Michael Shine, 32 years of campaigning have passed. There must be no more delay “