'Shine is the Most Prolific Paedophile in Europe'
- Dignity 4Patients
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
By Emma McMenamy- 29/11/2025- The Irish Sun- [Ireland]- [Michael Shine]
‘Shine is most prolific paedophile in Europe’, brave victim of sick doc claims amid ‘true extent’ of crimes inquiry hope.
Mr Cusack said: '390 people have come forward claiming to be ¬victims of Shine. But I believe this figure to be a lot higher — possibly close to 500'
A victim of paedophile surgeon Michael Shine is happy a scoping inquiry will go ahead — as it may encourage more potential victims to come forward.
Pat Cusack was aged just 11 when evil Shine — who he’s branded “the most prolific paedophile Europe has ever seen” — abused him at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda after being sent to see him with stomach cramps.
Young Pat Cusack was brought into a consultation room at the Co Louth hospital with the former surgeon while his parents waited outside. It was during this time that the sexual abuse took place.
Mr Cusack said he is happy “the Government is finally honouring their commitment” to look into Shine after Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill brought the memorandum to the Cabinet on Wednesday.
They’ve agreed on a time-bound “scoping exercise” undertaken by an “independent person”.
Mr Cusack and other victims of Shine, 93, are hopeful that a scoping inquiry could ultimately lead to a full statutory probe.
Monster Shine was found guilty of groping seven boys over three decades at two trials — but the sicko surgeon is believed to have sexually assaulted hundreds more. He’s served just three years behind bars, in the Midlands Prison in Co Laois.
In November 2017, he was first found guilty on three counts of assaulting two teenage patients on dates between 1974 and 1976. He was also found guilty in February 2019 of 12 charges of indecent assault and one of sexual assault.
The offences took place as he examined patients at Drogheda’s Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, and at two private clinics in the Louth town between 1971 and 1992.
Speaking from his home in Shercock, Co Cavan, Mr Cusack said he believes the new inquiry could see the 390 current alleged victims of Shine exceed 500.
Mr Cusack said: “This is good news — it keeps the spotlight on him. I’m glad that the Government is finally honouring their commitment to do something about it. Anything that happens as regards a scoping inquiry is good and anything that discloses the truth of what Shine has done is a positive too.
“I believe he is the most prolific sexual abuser in Europe and it’s about time people started seeing it."
“At the moment, 390 people have come forward claiming to be victims of Shine. But I believe this figure to be a lot higher — possibly close to 500.”
He added: “Hopefully, there will be a bit more momentum behind this scoping inquiry too and it will be completed in the 16 weeks mentioned. I hope it helps some of Shine’s victims to now find the strength to come forward.
“As regards the scoping inquiry, we might finally get some answers as to the true extent of his crimes.
“It has been a traumatic trip for me, to get my day in court and go through the court system as well as deal with the aftermath.
“I feel I have got some closure in that I saw him go to jail.
“However, there are many victims of Shine out there who haven’t got the kind of closure I have — I hope that this inquiry does lead to them getting something out of it.
“I would encourage anyone who is out there, who has been abused by Shine, to come forward as the help is there to support them.”
SCOPING INQUIRY FINDINGS
Mr Cusack added: “The most important thing for me is that once the scoping inquiry has concluded that they divulge their findings. Otherwise, what’s the point of doing it in the first place?”
To date, more than 200 people have settled civil claims against the Medical Missionaries of Mary religious order that oversaw the running of the hospital where the abuse took place.
A statement issued by the Department of Health on Wednesday following the announcement said that “the Government agreed a timebound scoping exercise be undertaken by an independent person in response to requests from Dignity4Patients on behalf of victims and survivors of Michael Shine”.
The release continued: “The draft Terms of Reference for a scoping exercise will be finalised following engagement with Dignity4Patients and other relevant Government Departments.
“The Department of Health will consult closely with the Office of the Attorney General on progressing this exercise following this decision of Government.
“The independent person will report to Government with their recommendations for an appropriate and bespoke response to the issues raised and the needs identified by Dignity4Patients on behalf of the victims and survivors of Michael Shine.”
‘EVERYONE DESERVES TO HAVE A VOICE’
Earlier this week, the Chief Executive of Dignity4Patients, which has worked with around 390 people who say they were abused by Shine, said she hoped that the scoping inquiry would lead to something further.
Adrienne Reilly said: “I’m hopeful that it will then lead to a full statutory inquiry,” adding that she believes “everyone deserves to have a voice and tell their story”.
Ms Reilly said: “We need also for the victims to have a voice and for them to be believed.
“And that is the main thing that they want people to know what happened to them, who failed them, and who should have protected them, and that’s essentially what all statutory inquiries do.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article and were abused in state run medical and health facilities, you can contact Dignity4Patients, whose helpline is open Monday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm