St John Ambulance director due to step down remains as interim chair

A long-serving member of the board of St John Ambulance has taken over as interim chair of the first aid organisation, despite previous commitments that he would step down along with two other directors.

The voluntary organisation has been struggling to find new directors to replace three retiring board members, as part of an effort to refresh its board following a major historical child sex abuse scandal.

Earlier this year an independent report found a past culture in St John Ambulance had “facilitated” the potential grooming of children and that the organisation had “failed to intervene” despite knowledge boys were at risk of abuse.

More than 16 boys were allegedly sexually abused by one former senior figure in the first aid organisation’s Old Kilmainham division in Dublin, between the early 1960s and late 1990s.

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The alleged perpetrator, who is in his 80s, was removed from the organisation in about 2000 when one survivor reported being sexually abused by the man. A Garda investigation into multiple complaints against the former volunteer is ongoing.

The independent report by Mr Justice Geoffrey Shannon, concluded the organisation had failed to act against the man for years, despite a “significant degree of organisational awareness” of the risk he posed to children.

In the fallout of the report the organisation told Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman in March that three of its longest-serving board members were to step down, to allow for new directors to join its board.

The organisation informed the Minister that then-chair of the board David Strahan, Richard Ensor and Charles O’Reilly would be those stepping down.

While Mr Strahan and Mr O’Reilly stood down from the board in June, Mr Ensor remained in situ and took over as interim chair.

In a statement, the organisation said a recruitment process was under way “to identify new independent directors” to join its board.

Mr Ensor (66), an accountant from south Co Dublin, had remained on the board as interim chair to ensure its “proper functioning” while that process took place, it said.

The statement said this was necessary as the organisation required the position of chair to be filled by a board member who was not one of its uniformed volunteers.

It said the three board members stepping down had all been “fully committed” to reforms in the organisation, adding they felt it was the “right time” for the board to be “refreshed” after publication of the Shannon report.

“This will allow new energy, voices and perspectives to be brought at board level,” the statement said.

Separately, an internal team has been set up within the organisation to review its governance, in response to one of the recommendations of the Shannon report. It is expected this internal review will be completed by the end of the year.