ISPCC welcomes Govt proposal to remove 'grey area' on slapping children

Minister for Children, Dr James Reilly, is bringing proposals to Cabinet which will effectively ban parents from slapping their children.

The ISPCC is welcoming proposals being brought to Cabinet that will effectively ban parents from slapping their children.

Minister for Children, Dr James Reilly, is seeking to remove the defence of "reasonable chastisement", which applies to parents and child-carers in common law.

No new offences are being created, instead the Minister wants to remove any grey areas from the law.

At the moment, the defence of "reasonable chastisement" applies to parents and child carers in common law.

Grainne Long, Chief Executive of the ISPCC, said: "If you strike a child currently, you can be prosecuted under the Offences Against the Persons Act.

"At the moment there is a defence that can be made, the defence of reasonable chastisement.

"So if you strike a child and you are prosecuted under that piece of legislation, you could say 'Well I was acting reasonably, I was chastising my child'."

Ms Long said there is a grey area in the law where there should not be one.

She said: "One of the reasons we are really strongly welcoming this change, which is being proposed by Minister Reilly, is because there is a grey area in terms of the protection of children under the law, and there never should be.

"We should be really clear about what is right and what is wrong when we talk about children and their protection."