Mandatory reporting of abuse to become law

THE Government is to push ahead with laws requiring the mandatory reporting of child sex abuse concerns despite the reservations of children’s charities and abuse survivors.

Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald said yesterday the legislation, a brief draft form of which was released in the summer, would be published when the Dáil resumed after Christmas.

“It will apply to voluntary and statutory bodies and it will apply to church and faith groups and it will be obligatory to report child protection concerns,” Ms Fitzgerald said.