The final sentence in yesterday afternoon's statement from the ISPCC brought guffaws from one seasoned social worker.
The sentence reads: "However, until such time as the current Garda inquiries are complete, it is the society's intention to make no further comment."
It was the notion of the ISPCC taking a vow of silence that brought the guffaws. For if there is one thing the ISPCC has been noted for in the past two decades, it has been its extremely high media profile. That it has had this profile is due almost entirely to the efforts of its chief executive, Mr Cian O Tighearnaigh.
Since he became chief executive of the organisation in 1987, he, and the ISPCC, have rarely been out of the headlines. Most of these headlines, though, have been on Mr O Tighearnaigh's choosing, ranging from criticisms of inadequate child care services to promotions of the society's own campaigns. In the past few days, the ISPCC has had to endure a rash of critical headlines such as it has not faced before. That this has, apparently, plunged the ISPCC into silence, will be seen as deeply ironic by its critics.
The headlines followed fairly quickly on the heels of Mr O Tighearnaigh's appointment as chief executive in 1987.
A strike by staff who objected to his reorientation of the organisation ended only after the then minister for health, Dr Rory O'Hanlon, threatened to cut statutory funding to the society.
That reorientation ultimately involved the closure of projects such as pre-school playgroups and family support centres in deprived areas. In their place, the ISPCC established childhood support workers who visit vulnerable families, the Steps projects, in which young people are trained to counsel other young people and, most famously, the Childline service.
Childline was opposed by many childcare organisations who saw the concept as having little to contribute to tackling child abuse.
The real irony, though, is that the Government has committed itself to the development of the sort of family resource centres which the ISPCC closed down. None of this would faze Mr O Tighearnaigh, who sees advocacy of children's rights as the oldest and truest role of the ISPCC.
At 40, Mr O Tighearnaigh has lost none of the ebullience of youth, is fighting fit and, it is fair to assume, is unbowed by this week's controversy, pledges of silence notwithstanding.