We have got to change how we see family life, said Dr Geoffrey Shannon, the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection and founding patron of the Children’s Rights Alliance.

Significant changes to family law have been agreed by Cabinet which will extend guardianship rights to same- sex couples and cohabiting partners.

The government-appointed expert on child law has warned there can be no ambivalence over alcohol advertising and sponsorship of sports events, even if it means “tough decisions” have to be made.

We all have a part to play in ensuring our young people are safe online, says Paul Gilligan

People with reasonable grounds for believing a child’s welfare is at risk should be able to go to court to seek state intervention, according to a report published by the Government.

THE absence of laws to allow the sharing of “soft information” on paedophiles is severely hampering child protection, the country’s top children’s watchdog has warned.

MANDATORY reporting of suspected child abuse may not lead to more cases being tackled, while inquiries into some child abuse cases are not sufficiently independent or transparent, according to a new report by the government-appointed Rapporteur on Child Protection.

The mishandling of one issue after another continues to raise questions about the competence of the Government. If the various ministers have learned nothing else from politics, surely they realise that the perception of a cover-up fuels rumours and speculation.

The two main opposition parties will today announce a joint initiative aimed at tackling the issues which arose from the recent statutory rape controversy.

A SLIGO parish priest said he was looking forward to resuming his duties after being targeted by what he claimed was an untrue allegation of abuse.

A Sligo parish priest said he was looking forward to resuming his duties after being tareted by what he claimed was an untrue allegation of abuse.