ISPCC: Ferns report a damning indictment of society

The Ferns Inquiry Report is another damning indictment of how Irish society has failed to protect children, a leading children’s charity said tonight.

The report outlines a litany of cruelty to children of various ages over many years, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said.

“This cruelty, consisting not just of sexual abuse of children, but of institutionalised silence and inaction, served not only to traumatise and hurt children but also served to make these children feel that they were to blame for the abuse perpetrated on them,” a spokesman said.

“Many of these children, now adults, still carry the emotional and psychological impact of their experiences.

“What happened in the Diocese of Ferns is not unique. It is another stark example of how Irish society has traditionally failed to deal adequately with the exploitation of children.”

The ISPCC said residential child abuse, including that detailed in the Kilkenny Incest Inquiry Report and the Kelly Fitzgerald Inquiry Report, highlights examples of how Irish society has failed to protect children.

“Such a monumental failure of child-protection systems must never be allowed to occur again,” it said.

“The ISPCC is calling for a commitment from all political parties to fully implement all of the recommendations of the Ferns Inquiry Report.”

The ISPCC also called for:

:: The immediate introduction of mandatory reporting of child abuse;

:: A legislative obligation on employers and organisations to ensure that any staff or volunteers working with children, including members of the clergy, are vetted by the gardai;

:: Legislation to establish a system through which “soft information” regarding people who are identified as a risk to children but who have not got a criminal conviction for child abuse can be recorded and made available;

:: Constitutional change to ensure children’s rights are firmly embedded and protected within the constitution.

The ISPCC said leaving the reporting of sexual abuse to the discretion and moral judgement of individuals and professionals fails to protect children.

“Irish society does not need any more examples of how children can be hurt and abused by silence,” the spokesman said.

“If the Ferns Inquiry Report teaches us anything it is that we must legislate against silence, we must make it a crime not to tell when we know or suspect a child is being abused, we must legislate to ensure that those who are known to be a risk to children cannot get employment working with children and that it is a crime not to Garda-vet staff and volunteers working with children.”