Parents ‘not being held accountable’ for unruly children

THE Labour party said urgent action was needed to combat irresponsible parents of unruly children after it revealed that key pieces of legislation have not been used by the courts.

Jan O’Sullivan, the party’s spokewoman on health, said information she had received from the Courts Service indicated four sections of the Children Act — specifically targeting such parents — were not being enforced.

“New information I have obtained suggests that key sections of the Children Act 2001, designed to help combat juvenile crime by ensuring that parents took responsibility for children involved in acts of crime and vandalism, have never been used in the courts in the seven years since the act was passed.