By Alison Comyn - Irish Independent - 22.02.2024 - [IRELAND] On EU Day for Victims of Crime, victims of Michael Shine, former surgeon at Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda, are pleading with the Government for a public inquiry.
European Day for Victims of Crime is observed every year on February 22 and is used to create awareness about the pertinent issues of security.
This year’s theme focuses on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Goal 16 specifically calls for the “promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels”.
Dignity4Patients, which provides, support, information, and advocacy to over 300 victims of sexual abuse by former surgeon and convicted sexual offender, Michael Shine is calling for a public inquiry.
The disgraced surgeon while working in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and private consultants rooms, allegedly abused male children for decades. Many are still waiting any form of justice.
“Friday February 23 will be two years since Michael Shine was released from Midlands Prison (Portlaoise) without having to face his victims or the media, after serving only three years of a four-year sentence," says Dignity4Patients CEO, Adrienne Reilly, "Today we will see and hear statements from politicians in relation to their commitment to victims of crime. However, they need to actually listen to victims and be serious in their commitment to provide proper, real and effective accountable justice, such as in our victims’ case, a public inquiry".
She says the group’s victim-survivors stand in solidarity with the victims and survivors of sexual abuse in current inquiries such as the Spiritan Scoping Inquiry into sexual abuse in schools, but they cannot understand why they, in their hundreds, asking for exactly the same thing, are being ignored.
“We are are calling for Ministers Helen McEntee, Stephen Donnelly and Michael McGrath to agree a way forward on a public inquiry into the sexual abuse of mostly young boys,” she adds. “They now need acknowledgement and access to effective justice. They want and deserve a public inquiry.” If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact Dignity4Patients, whose helpline is open Monday to Thursday 10am to 4pm.