Sinn Féin TDs for Louth and East Meath Joanna Byrne and Ruairí O Murchú have welcomed news of the commencement of a scoping exercise brought about as a direct result of the determined and courageous campaign of victims and survivors of Michael Shine and their representative group Dignity 4 Patients.
Commenting on the announcement from the Minister for Health and the statement issued by Dignity 4 Patients, they acknowledged the positive response from survivors and victims and stressed the need to ensure that this exercise leads to a full independent inquiry.
The local Sinn Féin TDs are also calling on the government to provide a dedicated focused debate in the Dáil on this issue.
Teachta Byrne stated:
As a Drogheda based TD, I was honoured to be able to host a very emotive briefing in Leinster House last year for Oireachtas members, where survivors of Michael Shines, horrific abuse shared their personal testimony with us, and Dignity 4 Patients set out their public campaign for an independent inquiry. As a newly elected TD I wanted to ensure that these voices were heard loudly and clearly in the corridors of power
I am heartened to hear that they are now seeing the Minister for Health deliver on the commitment made regarding the scoping exercise . In particular I was struck by Cianan Murray’s comments that, “for the first time since the failed Drogheda Review in 2010 that he is feeling positive about this. This must now lead to a full independent inquiry that will deliver for all of those who have been failed for so long, and I will continue to work alongside my Dáil colleagues in Louth to keep the voices of survivors front and centre.
Teachta O Murchu raised the matter during Dáil statements , alongside Sinn Féin Spokesperson for Justice Matt Carthy, and stated:
There were failures by Our Lady of Lourdes, the Medical Missionaries of Mary, the Garda and successive Departments of Health, and there was failure by this State and its governments over many years.
I welcome that Lorcan Staines is in position, and we have a timeline for a scoping exercise, but it needs to deliver a full public inquiry that delivers. “Horrified” does not even cut it in relation to what was done to these people and the failure to provide them with truth and justice. We need to make sure that happens. For far too long we have been in here dealing with the failures of the State. We need delivery for those who have been abused and have survived.
