Ban on slapping children now in force

A ban on slapping children came into effect at midnight.

Minister for Children Dr James Reilly signed the commencement order yesterday which removes the defence of reasonable chastisement in cases where a person uses corporal punishment against a child.

The move follows campaigns by human rights groups and pressure from the UN.

Independent Senator Jillian Van Turnhout welThe end of 'reasonable chastisement': Slapping ban now in forcecomed the ban and said there was never a place for violence against children.

"This law will ensure children are equal rights holders before the law," she said. "We shouldn’t be discussing when and if it's ok to hit a child - it is never acceptable to hit a child."

From today on, any physical attack on a child - including any previously judged to be "reasonable chastisement" - will now be punishable under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 in the same way as any assault on an adult, or the Cruelty Against Children Act 2001.

While it has previously led to claims of a nanny state culture taking hold, the move — which comes just weeks before Ireland is due before a UN body to discuss developments in child protection for just the third time in the State’s history on January 14 — has been widely welcomed by advocacy groups which say it has removed an “invisible” suggestion that children have to suffer assaults in silence.

In a statement confirming the move last night, Dr Reilly said the “removal of the common law defence” will send “a strong message which will lead to a cultural change across Irish society that corporal punishment is wrong”.

Additional reporting by Fiachra Ó Cionnaith, the Read More: Irish Examiner