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I have been a safeguarding consultant to the United Nations, European Commission, Scouting Ireland and the Council of Europe and a safeguarding lecturer for the European Academy of Law and UCD.

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As a Senior Investigating Officer leading three national Garda units - National Child Protection Unit, Sexual Crime Management Unit, Online Child Exploitation Unit - I have for 15 years successfully conducted, managed and overseen serious crime investigations and the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.

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I have developed safeguarding policy with Tusla, the HSE and the Departments of Justice & Equality, Health and Children & Youth Affairs as well as having been Ireland's National Expert to Interpol and Europol on child safeguarding.

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I have spent most of my adult life ensuring children grow up in a safe and loving environment. I now wish to spend the rest of my, hopefully, many years helping you keep children safe while doing the job you love.

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do what you love, safely

Hello,

Michael Lynch
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SAFEGUARDING

EXPERIENCE

United Nations

Interpol

Europol

European Commission

Council of Europe

Academy of European Law

Tusla

National Youth Council of Ireland

Children at Risk Ireland

Accompaniment Support Services for Children

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre

Rape Crisis Network Ireland

Scouting Ireland

HSE

Irish Red Cross

An Garda Síochána

National Review Panel

Detective Inspector and Detective Sergeant

  • As a Senior Investigating Officer leading three national Garda units – National Child Protection Unit, Sexual Crime Management Unit, Online Child Exploitation Unit, Michael has for 15 years successfully conducted, managed and overseen serious crime investigations and the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. 

  • Michael has managed the Garda Síochána’s Online Child Exploitation Unit and has been Irish national expert to Interpol and Europol for combating the sexual exploitation of children on the internet.  

  • He has managed the Sex Offender Management and Investigation Unit, personally managing the risk posed by particularly high risk and media sensitive offenders. 

  • Development of Garda Síochána policy regarding domestic abuse, sexual crime, online child exploitation, child abuse, sex offender management and safeguarding children.

  • Development of the Garda Síochána Specialist Interview Model, which allows for the recorded interviews of children and adults with intellectual disability to be played in court in lieu of a requirement to give direct evidence in court. 

  • Development of the Sex Offender Risk Assessment and Management (SORAM) process and establishment of a co-located office staffed by personnel from the Garda Síochána, Probation Service, Irish Prison Service, Tusla and Local Authority Housing to manage the process nationally. 

  • Michael has worked daily with the Child & Family Agency, the Health Service Executive, the Teaching Council of Ireland and many NGOs regarding the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. 

Government Inter-Departmental Safeguarding Groups

  • Inter-departmental Group for the Implementation of Children First.

  • Inter-departmental Group for Development of Cross-agency Child Sexual Abuse Services (development of the Barnahus Child Abuse Centre in Galway and other locations in Ireland).

Garda and Inter-Agency Policy and Reports

  • Garda Síochána’s Child Safeguarding Statement (2018, 2020); 

  • Garda Síochána Policy on the Investigation of Sexual Crime, Crimes against Children and Child Welfare (2010, 2013); 

  • Joint Working Protocol for An Garda Síochána/Tusla – Child and Family Agency Liaison (2017);  

  • Garda Síochána Policy on Domestic Violence Intervention (2007). 

  • Rape/Sexual Assault: National Guidelines on Referral and Forensic Clinical Examination in Ireland (2010, 2013, 2018); 

  • RCNI Hearing Every Voice – Towards a New Strategy on Vulnerable Witnesses (2018); 

  • Review of Protections for Vulnerable Witnesses in the Investigation and Prosecution of Sexual Offences (2020) commissioned by the Minister for Justice and Equality.

TRAINING

EXPERIENCE

 

  • Michael was a trainer with the Garda Síochána College for three years, providing training in sexual crime investigation and child safeguarding to student Gardaí. He subsequently worked with the Garda College to develop Garda child protection and welfare training for Gardaí in response to the commencement of the Children First Act 2015. 

  • Michael has developed, reviewed and ensured the delivery of training to specialist Garda units involved in sexual crime investigation, online child exploitation and safeguarding.

  • Michael has provided training to personnel of many statutory and non-governmental organisations, such as the Child & Family Agency (Tusla), the HSE, the Probation Service, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Children at Risk Ireland, Scouting Ireland. 

  • Michael has been a consultant/trainer to the European Commission, Council of Europe and the United Nations and has been a lecturer for the ERA – Academy of European Law and UCD on safeguarding and sexual exploitation. 

  • Michael has been a member of the National Safeguarding Committee of the Irish Red Cross for over 5 years, assisting in the development of safeguarding policy, providing safeguarding training to Irish Red Cross volunteers and training Irish Red Cross trainers in the area of safeguarding. 

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EDUCATION

 

  • Master of Science (Child Protection & Welfare), Trinity College Dublin (2008-2010). 

  • Bachelor of Arts (Humanities), NUI Maynooth (1999-2005) - Majoring in Psychology. 

  • Specialist Child Abuse Investigator’s Development Programme, PSNI College, Belfast, Northern Ireland (2017). 

  • Combating the Sexual Exploitation of Children on the Internet, Europol (2007 & 2016). 

  • Senior Investigating Officer Programme, Garda Síochána College (2016).  

  • Level IV Investigative Interview Coordinator/Advisor, Garda Síochána College (2012). 

  • Level III Advanced Investigative Interviewer, Garda Síochána College (2010). 

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