The Government’s announcement that it will establish a Commission of Investigation into the convicted sex offender Michael Shine is welcome but long overdue, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice.
Deputy Rice said:
“The Social Democrats welcome today’s announcement. Shine is one of the most notorious and prolific paedophiles in Irish history – a full statutory inquiry into his abuses, which were carried out on a horrifying scale, is long overdue.
“The State response to uncover how and why so many public bodies turned a blind eye to his abuses of children and young people, allowing him to continue his crimes for decades unchecked, must be comprehensive.
“I want to pay tribute to the courage and resilience of the survivors and their representative group, Dignity4Patients. Their bravery is what has brought us to this point.
“Following a successful scoping exercise led by Lorcan Staines SC, victims must remain at the centre of this process to ensure that the terms of reference delivers an adequate inquiry that meets their needs.”
July 16th, 2026