State urged to act on lessons of Mr A case

THE Government yesterday pledged to step up its efforts on child protection, but was warned not to forget recommendations drafted in the aftermath of last year’s constitutional crisis.

Junior Minister at the Department of Health and Children Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher said an All-Party Oireachtas Committee would be formed this year with the aim of looking at recommendations aimed at improving child protection.

In a speech at the launch of the Children At Risk in Ireland (CARI) annual report, Mr Gallagher said he was in favour of video links being used regarding the taking of evidence from alleged child abusers.

He also mentioned the ongoing implementation of recommendations contained in the Ferns Report, including the setting up of a task group to examine the need for counselling services for young people and families.

However, CARI chief executive Mary Flaherty said it was vital that 62 recommendations drafted by the last All-Party Oireachtas Committee on Child Protection were not forgotten.

Those recommendations were drafted in the fallout from the Mr A statutory rape case last year, but were not made law.

The recommendations cover substantive criminal law, the age of consent, criminal justice procedures and other measures, such as a review of sex education programmes in schools.

Ms Flaherty said that if the new All-Party Committee simply looked at constitutional amendments, it would be “too narrowly focused”.

Mr Gallagher said changes in Garda vetting procedures were continuing as planned and mentioned elements of the Children’s Rights and the 28th Amendment to the Constitution Bill, published earlier this year, which will be reviewed by the new Oireachtas Committee.

“As regards next steps, in line with the Programme for Government, it is proposed to establish an all-party committee to examine the proposed constitutional amendment with a view to further deepening consensus on this matter,” he said.

The minister said some parts of that bill were particularly important, such as the restatement of the existing protection of children and parents contained in Article 42.5 and the extension of this provision to all children — and moves to ensure that all children are eligible for voluntary adoption.

On the CARI report, he said some worrying trends emerged over the course of 2006, including an increase in the number of cases of young children showing “sexualised behaviour” and growing concerns over the number of children expressing a wish to die, often as a result of sexual abuse.

Calls to the organisation’s helpline also rose by 10% to 1,254, although CARI expressed satisfaction with the growing number of calls from fathers — up from 6% in 2005 to 8% last year.