Shane Ross concerned over Dónal Óg role
SPORTS Minister Shane Ross is unhappy with Dónal Óg Cusack’s letter of support for paedophile Tom Humphries.
A spokesperson for the Minister said he considers the letter ‘a serious lack of judgment’ and asked the former hurler to reflect on his controversial reference, as Mr Cusack is a director of Sport Ireland.
Sport Ireland is the body responsible for setting guidelines on child safety in sport. Mr Cusack sits on its board.
Sportswriter Humphries pleaded guilty to four charges of grooming a 14-year-old girl while coaching her camogie team, and two counts of defilement of a child under 17 when he sexually assaulted her two years later.
He will appear in court again tomorrow for sentencing.
Appointments to the Sport Ireland board are approved and signed off by the Sports Minister of the day, after recommendations and consultations on candidates.
A spokesperson for Minister Ross told the Irish Daily Mail: ‘Unfortunately, there seems to be a serious lack of judgment on the part of this board member.
‘Sport Ireland’s functions with regard to child protection are of paramount importance.
‘The letter of support by Dónal Óg Cusack could be perceived to undermine the effective performance of Sport Ireland’s function.
‘It would be useful if Mr Cusack would reflect on what appears to be an incompatibility between that support and that child protection function,’ he said.
Last week, using social media, three-time All Ireland winner Mr Cusack confirmed rumours that he was the second person who gave Humphries a reference.
The other character reference came from Sunday Times sportswriter David Walsh.
Mr Walsh explained his actions, saying he could not ‘abandon a friend’ of 30 years, but that Humphries’ victim had ‘suffered terribly’ from a ‘serious wrong’.
Humphries ghost wrote the former Cork goalkeeper’s 2009 book, Come What May.
Mr Cusack’s Twitter statement read: ‘I absolutely condemn the crimes he [Humphries] has committed.
‘Terrible suffering’
I cannot begin to imagine the terrible suffering of the victim. I apologise for any hurt or offence caused by my action.
‘My intention was to help a human in a dark place, who asked me for help.
‘I showed a lack of judgement in this situation for which I am genuinely sorry.
‘I will not be making any further comment and wish to let justice take its course.’
Sport Ireland has confirmed to the Mail that Mr Cusack is still a member of the board and ‘was appointed by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, effective from October 1, 2015 [when Paschal Donohoe was sports minister].’
A statement to the Mail from the executive director of abuse survivors group One in Four, Maeve Lewis, called Mr Cusack’s reference a ‘lapse of judgment’.
‘I think, in the past, many people have given character references for convicted offenders from a mistaken sense of loyalty.
‘In this instance, Dónal Óg Cusack has acknowledged that he regrets writing the character reference. Dónal Óg has been an outstanding role model for young people over the years, especially in coming out as a gay man in a very conservative sport.
‘I don’t think one lapse of judgement should preclude him from serving as a board member of Sport Ireland,’ she said.
Mr Cusack has been urged by Rape Crisis Network Ireland to withdraw his reference, which is before Dublin Circuit Court.
Spokesperson Clíona Saidléar said: ‘I thought it was appropriate he did not equivocate in his statement, he was unequivocal, which is not always the case and that is important.
‘It’s clear that he should withdraw the letter as it would be consistent in terms of followthrough to the statement and his sentiment.’
A victim impact statement from Humphries’ victim said ‘sexual encounters at such a young age with a man three time my age made me physically, emotionally and mentally ill’.
‘I have been suicidal because of what happened.’
Twitter reaction to Mr Cusack’s statement has been largely critical.
RTÉ sports presenter Jacqui Hurley tweeted: ‘I think it’s a shocking lack of judgement by a person who I have great time for. I’m surprised and deeply disappointed in him.’
Former Dublin player Johnny Magee described Cusack’s reference and apology as ‘a disgrace, Donal, not good enough’.
Calls and texts on Thursday, and sustained efforts for the last two weeks by the Mail to contact Mr Cusack for comment were unsuccessful.
AS the first in their series of five one-day stoppages of all rail services draws closer, senior union sources still refuse to adjust the volume of their fighting talk.
Rather than strike a conciliatory tone, they are insisting that ‘an offer of huge significance’ will have to be on the table before stoppages are called off. They also insist the first day of the strike next Wednesday will ‘definitely’ take place.
The petulance and intransigence of the union leaders are certainly not grounds for optimism about a resolution being found to the dispute before our public transport system is thrown into chaos and thousands of schoolchildren and workers are left to their own devices as they were last September during the Dublin Bus strike.
The strike days – which include December 8, the traditional Christmas shopping day, and November 14, when Ireland play Denmark at the Aviva Stadium – seem deliberately planned to highlight the paying public and retail sector’s reliance on the rail service and inflict maximum inconvenience and disappointment.
But they will also act to stretch the patience of the public to breaking point.
Before they take to the picket-line, the combined force of Siptu, Unite and the National Bus and Rail Union should bring their case to the Labour Court. Not to do so might mean that whatever public sympathy their long-running pay dispute attracts might rapidly run out of steam.