Fears as number of child abductions hits all-time high of 111

CHILD abductions reached an all-time high last year with 111 new cases.

But child abduction experts yesterday warned the statistics were incomplete as they failed to include youngsters taken to Muslim countries and not returned.

Department of Justice figures showed an increase of 15% in abduction cases in 2006, with a rising number relating to new accession states in Europe. The increase was largely related to the abduction of children into this country, which grew in numbers, as opposed to the taking of minors to other states from Ireland which fell.

Child abduction experts noted the worrying overall increase in case numbers, but also pointed to a lack of formality in handling abduction cases.

Chairwoman Mary Banotti, with the Irish Centre for Parentally Abducted Children (ICPAC), said: “Abductions are clearly broadening, especially with those representing new Ireland from Eastern European countries. We’ve also had a significant number of phone calls from people concerned about when children are not returned from countries like Muslim ones.”

The ICPAC’s complaints of children taken to Muslim countries are not logged by the Department of Justice, as the countries are not party to the international Hague and Luxembourg conventions on abductions.

The department said its central authority on abductions was not responsible for investigating every complaint. Its role was to facilitate court cases and countries signed up to international law. Investigations were a matter for gardaí, said a department spokesman.

But family law expert and fellow member of ICPAC, Geoffrey Shannon, added: “It would appear that parent child abductions are a growing problem in the Irish-Muslim population. This is a highly contentious issue”

Figures overall show a total of 170 cases were handled by the department in 2006. These included 59 cases carried over, as well as the 111 new ones. Two thirds of cases related to children abducted into Ireland.

The rest concerned those abducted from the state to other jurisdictions.

Courts ordered the return of children in 27 cases. A further 56 cases were withdrawn or voluntarily settled.

A breakdown of countries show the greatest number of abductions related to England and Wales (48), followed by the US (13). Several cases related to abductions into Ireland from the Czech Republic, Latvia, Poland and Hungary.

In seven cases overall foreign courts ordered the return of the children and in three cases the return of a child was refused. In eight cases the High Court ordered the return of children to other states.