Minister: We must change society for our children

IRISH society must acknowledge that it needs to address a series of problems as concerning as the clerical abuse scandal before the safety of children in this country can be assured.

Speaking at the Merriman Summer School in Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald said a host of less highlighted issues are seriously hampering the well-being of young people in Ireland.

Ms Fitzgerald stressed her revulsion at the widespread abuse of children within the Catholic Church, the latest proof of which was the Cloyne Report her own department published recently.

However, said that difficulties such as a “cultural context”, where abuse in the family is not always addressed, a lack of support for social workers, and mental health, physical and verbal abuse, are causing similar problems for 1.1 million children and teenagers in this country.

“Our children look to us for everything; for safety and security, education and opportunity, development and discovery. And for generations the state has not taken that responsibility seriously enough.

“Ultimately, no other resource will matter as much to us as our youngest citizens. And that means we have to start looking at our children in a totally new light.

“It is not enough to fix child protection failings and then — as a society — return to the outlook that treats children as little vessels to be filled to the brim with imperial gallons of facts.

“We must dedicate ourselves not to shaping our children to fit the needs of our society, but rather shaping society to fit the needs of our kids.”

She said that among the key issues still affecting children today is the inability of the social worker system to adequately address cases for anyone in need — whether due to budgetary problems, a lack of staff or a lack of interest in rare incidents.

She also noted the fact that one in 10 Irish children and teenagers “suffer a mental health disorder”, one in four girls and one in six boys are involved in cyber-bullying, either as a victim or aggressor, and under-age drinking and smoking is becoming more prevalent.

“Even those children who appear ‘normal’ can have issues bubbling under the surface, as we saw last week in England when straight-A students and top-of-their-game athletes and dancers engaged in rioting and looting,” she said.

To address these problems, the minister said she is overseeing the “long-awaited change agenda”, which will see a new dedicated child and family support agency.

“Arguably the biggest change we must bring about is one where a child who is abused by a relative has the capability to talk to his or her mum and dad and know that mum and dad will listen,” she said.