The campaign for a public inquiry into paedophile sex beast Dr Michael Shine is intensifying.
The Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has agreed to meet some of his victims to discuss their plight and what should happen next.
There is huge anger that the rogue medic was allowed to continue practising at the Lourdes Hospital for years when the dogs in the street knew he was abusing children.
One victim said:”The authorities at the hospital knew he was a danger to children yet they turned a blind eye and kept him there.”
Between 300 to 400 people have so far come forward and allege they were molested by him.
Since last Christmas nine new civil cases have been filed against him and the Medical Missionaries of Mary who used to run the hospital.
Most of the abuse occurred in the seventies and eighties.
Shine retired in 1995 and wasn’t expelled by the Medical Council until 2008 for his behaviour.
He later served just three years in jail for abusing nine boys.
The Dignity4Patient group which represents Shine’s victims has been demanding a full public investigation into his activities.
Last week the Department of Health issued a statement saying:” The Minister for Health would be willing to meet with the Dignity4Patients support group .”
She has asked her officials to organise it.
Several local politicians have been lobbying the Government for the public inquiry to go ahead.
Michael Shine is now 93 years of age and the DPP is unlikely to bring any further prosecutions against him.
Victims who did sue both him and the nuns who ran the Lourdes Hospital during the Shine era have received compensation pay-outs of between €20,000 to €60,000 depending on the scale of the abuse.
The Dignity4Patients group said; "Our victims seek a Commission of Investigation to uncover why their abuse was overlooked and how authorities failed to protect them.
"They want acknowledgement of their trauma and assurances that such abuse reoccur.
"How can we guarantee that without a Commission of Investigation, learning ourcomes and recommendations?"