TRANSCRIPTS OF the Medical Council's fitness to practise inquiry into the former Drogheda surgeon Dr Michael Shine will not be published, it has emerged.
The Irish Timeshas learned that the Medical Council, at a recent meeting, decided against publication of the evidence given to its fitness to practise committee before it found Shine guilty of professional misconduct over his alleged inappropriate behaviour towards young boys as a consultant general surgeon at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.
He worked at the hospital from 1964 until 1995, when he retired on a full pension following complaints against him in relation to the alleged sexual assault and indecent assault of young male patients.
Following a decision by the High Court in November to confirm the medical council's determination to strike him off the medical register, there were calls for publication of the transcripts of the inquiry.
The council, when asked about its decision, said in a statement: "As inquiries held under the Medical Practitioners Act 1978 were always held in private, those taking part did so on the understanding that the details would not be published."
However, the year before last the then medical council published all reports relating to the fitness to practise committee inquiry into three Dublin-based obstetricians who prepared reports in 1998 exonerating the practice of Drogheda obstetrician Dr Michael Neary. Transcripts of the inquiry into Neary's fitness to practise were also published.
A new Medical Council was elected early last year under a new Medical Practitioners Act, which paves the way for fitness to practise inquiries to be held in public in future.
Victims in the Shine case expected the same attitude adopted by the old medical council in relation to publication of transcripts in the Neary case would be adopted in the Shine case.
Sheila O'Connor of Patient Focus said the Medical Council's decision not to publish the transcript in this case was very disappointing.
"It's really important to the men that I know of that it's published," she said. "It's very disappointing from a new medical council. What about this new era of openness and transparency?" she asked.
"I think it's an insight into the way they are thinking and the way things may go in the future and that is very worrying for patients."
Ms O'Connor called on Minister for Children Barry Andrews to intervene to seek publication of the transcripts, saying it was important Shine's alleged inappropriate behaviour towards young men was treated with the same seriousness as clerical sex abuse.
There has already been a Garda investigation into complaints against Shine. The first complaint was lodged with the Garda in 1994.
He was acquitted on all indecent assault charges when tried at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court in 2003.