Paedophile attended scout event with 5,000 children in 2018 despite complaints about behaviour

Child safeguarding expert Ian Elliott, who was interim head of safeguarding in Scouting Ireland at the time of that year's national jamboree, said vetting procedures were in place for attendance at the event, but they failed to stop Mr Barry getting access to it

Dave Barry was jailed for five years this week after he admitted all 29 charges against him – 28 for indecent or sexual assaults and one for attempted assault.

Convicted child abuser Dave Barry attended a major Scouting Ireland event for 5,000 children in 2018 despite previous complaints to the organisation about his interaction with young boys.

Child safeguarding expert Ian Elliott, who was interim head of safeguarding in Scouting Ireland at the time of that year's national jamboree, described the former senior scouting leader’s attendance at the event as “a failure of the vetting system”.

Convicted paedophile David Barry (left) at Jamborí 2018 in Stradbally Co Laois in 2018. He was jailed for five years this week after he admitted all 29 charges against him – 28 for indecent or sexual assaults and one for attempted assault.

Mr Elliot, who has investigated historic abuse in the association, said vetting procedures were in place for attendance at the event, but they failed to stop Mr Barry getting access to it.

Allegations should have shown up

He said the allegations against Mr Barry dating from 1987 should have “shown up”.

"It should have shown up. That was one of the issues that my review of historical abuse in Scouting Ireland actually brought to light,” Mr Elliot said.

It was not always the case that when allegations were made in the past that they were appropriately handled.

“As a consequence, people who it was reasonable to believe were a risk to children, were allowed to continue to have contact with children when they should have been prevented.

“The issue is, of course, when did everything come to light in relation to Mr Barry?"

Barry, 73, of Firgrove Gardens, Bishopstown,  Cork, was jailed for five years this week after he admitted all 29 charges against him – 28 for indecent or sexual assaults and one for attempted assault.

The 10 victims were aged between 13 and 17 when the abuse occurred at the defendant’s home in Bishopstown between 1986 and 2008.

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard a scout’s mother complained in 1987 about an incident at the defendant’s house.

Barry’s unit, Togher Scouts, subsequently told him to stop holding scout activity at his house but he continued to do so.

Barry received 'special counselling'

The court also heard Barry received “special counselling” from Scouting Ireland on four occasions – twice in March 2010 and again in March 2017 and April 2019.

Cork Scout leader and convicted paedophile David Barry is pictured in the white jumper at Jamborí 2018.

Mr Elliott said he was not present at the 2018 jamboree which Barry attended, but a team of Scouting Ireland professional safeguarding staff liaised with gardaí throughout the festival.

“There would have been vetting arrangements that apply for all of the officers, volunteers and adults that are part of Scouting Ireland,” he said.

The vetting process in a sense confirms what is already known – it doesn’t throw up alerts if there aren’t convictions in place for someone or allegations.” 

Scouting Ireland has refused to answer a series of questions from the Irish Examiner, submitted last month, and again this week, about what complaints were made to the organisation about Barry and when, how it responded to those complaints, and what child protection measures were in place at the time.

It issued a statement after Barry’s conviction, saying it is the policy and requirement of Scouting Ireland that no adult takes part in scouting activities until their Garda vetting has been approved and they have completed the appropriate child protection training.

“Child protection training for adults involved in scouting is mandatory and Scouting Ireland trains thousands of adults every year to ensure informed compliance with best practices and statutory obligations.

We have a fully professional child protection team and our safeguarding procedures are independently reviewed by Mr Ian Elliott.” 

In a statement issued to Scouting Ireland membership last night, the organisation said that all attendees at Jamborí 2018 were garda vetted and that "no concerns in relation to Mr Barry were raised during this process".

The former secretary general of the Progressive Democrats, John Higgins, has not responded to repeated requests for comment about Barry’s sudden withdrawal as a party candidate just weeks before the 2004 local election.

The party’s former chairman, John Minihan, said Barry’s withdrawal, just weeks after his selection, was “sudden and unexpected”.