Scouting Ireland report: 'Individuals who abused young people were not held to account'
Individuals who had a sexual interest in young people were allowed to rise to the highest ranks of the scouting hierarchy, child protection consultant Ian Elliott has found.
After a comprehensive investigation into sex abuse within scouting, Mr Elliott has found those individuals were able to control any accountability and prevent known offenders from being removed.
“Cronyism thrived and remained a significant problem in scouting up to and including the reviewer’s involvement with Scouting Ireland,” Mr Elliott says in a 50 page 'Historical Sexual Abuse in Scouting: A Learning Review' published this morning.
“Individuals who behaved badly, were not held to account through robust, and timely disciplinary processes. The introduction of an accountability framework was resisted.”
He believes documentation relevant to his investigation and “stored inappropriately in garages, attics, and sheds, across the country” by senior volunteers may well have been destroyed.
“One senior volunteer stands out," said Mr Elliott. "It was reported that he stored information in his home which, it was thought, related to several abuse allegations.
He is also the subject of credible allegations of abuse stretching over an extended period. He is now deceased, but he occupied a senior role in scouting.
He said analysis of legacy cases shows clear mismanagement and a gross failure to respond to risk.
“Individuals who were known to have abused young people, were not held to account consistently and often remained in scouting but with a different group,” he said.
Volunteers often mismanaged these situations and there were occasions when individuals tried to interfere with any attempt to address alleged abuse, to protect a suspected offender.
On the back of the report, Scouting Ireland issued
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Adrian Tennant, Chair, Board Scouting Ireland, told victims: “On behalf of Scouting Ireland, I unreservedly apologise to you. We are sorry for the hurt caused to you and the legacy of that hurt which many of you still live with today.
“We know we cannot take away that hurt. But we do want you to know that you have been heard.
We want you to know that you are believed. We want you to know that we will support you.
