A RETIRED High Court judge appointed by Minister for Health Mary Harney last December to examine whether a full inquiry should be held into the sexual assault of patients by former Drogheda surgeon Michael Shine has recommended no such inquiry take place. Mr Justice TC Smyth said such an inquiry would be of no significant benefit.
Ms Harney informed victim support group Dignity4Patients when they met in Dublin yesterday.
Group spokeswoman Bernadette O’Sullivan said they believed the review process was just “a delaying tactic”.
She said the news, rather than bringing closure to those who were abused at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital by Mr Shine, brought further distress. It comes a week after confirmation that Judge Smyth had also recommended his report should not be published due to the possibility of prosecutions being taken.
Ms O’Sullivan said Ms Harney told yesterday’s meeting a Garda investigation into complaints made against Mr Shine was at “an advanced stage”.
Mr Shine worked at the Lourdes hospital from 1964 until 1995. He was struck off the medical register in 2008 after being found guilty of professional misconduct over inappropriate behaviour towards three male patients at the hospital.
There was also a Garda investigation into complaints against him several years ago. He was acquitted on all indecent assault charges when tried at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court in 2003.
But since he was struck off the medical register, more than 200 additional patients have come forward alleging abuse. Ms O’Sullivan said up to 120 cases were now being investigated by gardaí.
Following her meeting with Ms Harney, Ms O’Sullivan said Dignity4Patients would continue to pursue their aims which include finding out why systems failed to protect patients she represents at the Lourdes hospital. She said patients had informed her “chaperoning” was still not taking place in all hospitals to protect patients.
“I again call on the Minister to revisit this,” she said, claiming the Government was trying to bury the Smyth report.
A spokesman for Ms Harney said, however, the Minister has promised to examine whether it may be possible to publish a summary of the report.
One in Four said it was deeply disappointed by the decision not to establish a public inquiry.