Marie Keenan to stand in Irish Seanad election

The ACP wishes to bring to your notice that Marie Keenan is standing in the forthcoming Irish Seanad elections, one of twelve candidates in the NUI constituency. (Full list: https://www.nui.ie/elections/seanadelection2025/candidatesprofiles_2025.asp) Marie has been a great friend of the ACP and advocate of restorative justice, meeting several groups of priests around the country. She spoke at the ACP AGM some years ago following the publication of her book Child Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church. She hosted meetings of the group which met following that, which worked with Judge Fergal Sweeney in his study of the Murphy Report and the underlying legislation. Her input was very helpful.

This is her election bio/manifesto in English and Irish:

Dr Marie Keenan

Associate Professor of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, UCD.

Dr Keenan is a criminologist, forensic psychotherapist, restorative justice practitioner and registered social worker https://people.ucd.ie/marie.keenan

Her clinical and research background and commitment to inclusive engagement ground her views and policies, informed by the values of justice, equality and an ethic of compassion and care.

The abuse and ill-treatment of the most vulnerable in Irish society, past and present, is recurring and consistent. Dr Keenan has a strong and active record in advocating for and helping individuals and families in these circumstances, and supporting them to have their voices heard. Her commitment is to bring this expertise and advocacy to the floor of the upper house if elected.

She has held appointments in child protection (Brixton, London) (1976-79), adult and adolescent mental health (Cork University Hospital and St John of God’s) (1979-1984), the Irish Probation Service (Mountjoy Prison) (1984-1987), the Rutland Addiction Treatment Centre (1987-1992) and Independent Practice with victim/survivors of sexual crime (1992- 1995). She was a founding member of the Granada Institute (Dublin) (1995 – 2000) for men who committed sexual offences against children, where she was co-ordinator of the treatment programme.

Marie serves on and has contributed to several national and international statutory and professional bodies, including:

• –  Institutional Abuses Working Group, European Forum for Restorative Justice (2021- present).
• –  Global Advisory Council, Restorative Justice International (US) (2020-present).
• –  Higher Education Authority’s Advisory Group on Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment in Higher Education Institutions in Ireland (2021-present)
• –  Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice, UCD (2010-present).
• –  The Restorative Justice Council, (UK) (2022-2023)
• –  Gender Based Violence Working Group, European Forum for Restorative Justice (2020-2022).
• –  Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, England and Wales (2019).
• –   Gillen Review of Responses to Sexual Violence following the Belfast Rape Trial, Northern Ireland (2018)
• –  Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse, Australia (2015-2017).
• –  Family Therapy Association of Ireland (Chairperson, 2010-2012; Vice Chair 2008- 2010).

She is a published author of several prestigious and influential monographs and articles, including:

Transforming Justice Responses to Historical / Non-Recent Institutional Abuses (forthcoming March 2025) (with A-M. McAlinden & J. Gallen) (Oxford University Press) (Open Access)

Sexual Violence and Restorative Justice: Addressing the Justice Gap (2022) (with E. Zinsstag) (Oxford University Press) (Open Access)

Child Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church: Gender, Power and Organisational Culture (2012) (Oxford University Press)

Restorative Responses to Sexual Violence: Legal, Social and Therapeutic Dimensions (2017) (with E. Zinsstag, eds) (Routledge)

Broken Faith: Why Hope Matters (2013) (with P. Claffey & J. Egan, eds) (Lang)

Manifesto

If elected I will be a strong and authoritative voice for:

• Significant improvements in the child protection and welfare system
• Structural and cultural reform of organisations and institutions in which institutional abuses occur
• Improved criminal justice outcomes for victims of sexual and gender-based violence
• Increased range of justice options for victims of crime, including restorative justice
• Expanded and targeted mental health, disability and social services for vulnerable children, young people and families.

As Gaeilge:

An Dochtúir Marie Keenan – Ollamh Comhlachaigh le Beartas Sóisialta, Obair Shóisialta agus Ceartas Sóisialta, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath.

Is coireolaí, síciteiripeoir fóiréinseach, cleachtóir i gceartas aisiríoch agus oibrí sóisialta cláraithe í Marie Keenan https://people.ucd.ie/marie.keenan

Tugann an taithí atá aici i gcúrsaí cliniciúla agus an taighde atá déanta aici, maraon lena dílseacht do chaidreamh ionchuimsitheach, tuiscint faoi leith don Dochtúir Keenan. Is as an tuiscint seo a phréamhaíonn a meon agus a polasaithe. Tá siad seo bainteach le luachanna a bhaineann go díreach le ceartas, le comhionannas agus le cothramas, agus iad bunaithe chomh maith ar eitic láidir i leith comhbhá agus cúram a thabhairt do dhaoine.

Is athfhillteach agus comhsheasmhach iad an drochíde agus an mí-úsáid a imríodh agus atá fós á imirt ar na daoine is leochailí i bpobal na hÉireann. Tá dea-theist ar an Dochtúir Keenan mar dhuine atá láidir agus gníomhach ar son na ndaoine seo, idir dhaoine aonaracha agus clanna, atá i ndroch-staid. Tugann sí cabhair agus tacaíocht dóibh chun go gcloisfear a bhfuil le rá ag na daoine seo.Tá sí tiomanta an taithí agus an t-eolas luachmhar atá aici a thabhairt léi go Seanad Éireann, má roghnaítear í.

D’oibrigh sí i bpostanna a bhain le cosaint leanaí (Brixton, London 1976-1979), le cúram sláinte mheabhrach na n-ógánach agus na ndaoine fásta (Cork University Hospital agus St John of God’s, 1979-1984), le Seirbhís Phromhaidh na hÉireann (Príosún Mhuinseo, 1984- 1987), agus ag an Rutland Addiction Treatment Centre (1987-1992). Bhí cleachtas neamhspleách aici idir 1992 agus 1995 a bhí ag freastal ar dhaoine a d’fhulaing droch-úsáid ghnéasach. Duine de bhunaitheoirí an Granada Institute í (Baile Átha Cliath, 1995-2000), institiúid d’fhir a bhí ciontach i gcoireanna gnéasacha i gcoinne leanaí, mar a raibh sí fostaithe mar chomhordaitheoir an chláir córach.

Tá Marie ina ball de, nó thug sí cuidiú do mhórán eagraíochtaí in Éirinn agus thar lear, idir eagraíochtaí reachtúla agus gairmiúla. Ina measc tá:

• –  Institutional Abuses Working Group, European Forum for Restorative Justice (2021- present).
• –  Global Advisory Council, Restorative Justice International (U.S.) (2020-present)
• –  Higher Education Authority’s Advisory Group on Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment in Higher Education institutions in Ireland (2021-present).
• –  Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice, U.C.D. (2010-present).
• –  The Restorative Justice Council, U.K. (2022-2023).
• –  Gender-based Violence Working Group, European Forum for Restorative Justice (2020-2022).
• –  Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, England and Wales, (2019).
• – Gillen Review of Responses to Sexual Violence, following the Belfast rape trial, Northern Ireland (2018).
• –  Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse, Australia (2015-2017).
• –  Family Therapy Association of Ireland (Chairperson 2010-2012; Vice-Chair 2008- 2010).

Is scríbhneoir í an Dochtúir Keenan, leis, a bhfuil monagraif agus ailt measúla agus mór-le-rá foilsithe aici. Ina measc tá:

Transforming Justice Responses to Historical / Non-Recent Institutional Abuses (forthcoming March 2025) (with A-M. McAlinden & J. Gallen) (Oxford University Press) (Open Access)

Sexual Violence and Restorative Justice: Addressing the Justice Gap (2022) (with E. Zinsstag) (Oxford University Press) (Open Access)

Child Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church: Gender, Power and Organisational Culture (2012) (Oxford University Press)

Restorative Responses to Sexual Violence: Legal, Social and Therapeutic Dimensions (2017) (with E. Zinsstag, eds) (Routledge)

Broken Faith: Why Hope Matters (2013) (with P. Claffey & J. Egan, eds) (Lang)

Forógra

Má thoghtar mé, labhróidh mé amach go macánta agus go héifeachtach chun na hábhair seo a leanas a fheabhsú:

Dul chun cinn suntasach sa chóras um chosaint leanaí agus sa chóras leasa shóisialaigh a chur i gcrích;

Athchóiriú a dhéanamh i struchtúir agus i gcultúir na gcomhlacht agus na n- institiúd ina mbíonn mí-úsáid institiúideach ar siúl;

Toradh níos fearr a bhaint amach ins na cúirteanna do dhaoine a d’fhulaing foréigean gnéasach nó foréigean atá bunaithe ar inscne an duine;

Réimse níos leithne de roghanna sa chóras dlí a chur ar fáil do dhaoine a d’fhulaing gníomhartha coiriúla, ceartas aisiríoch sa áireamh;

Seirbhísí níos leithne agus níos fearr a dhíriú ar dhaoine a bhfuil fadhbanna sláinte mheabhrach acu, daoine faoi mhíchumas, chomh maith le seirbhísí sóisialta a chur ar fáil do leanaí, daoine ógá agus clanna atá i bpriacal.