Statutory rape - Report is a significant step forward

FEW issues convulsed the Irish public more than the Supreme Court verdict in the statutory rape case which allowed a man to walk free from jail because he claimed he did not know the age of the 12-year-old girl that he raped after plying her with alcohol.

People were so outraged following last summer’s judgement that the perpetrator was soon back behind bars and the beleaguered Government hastily appointed an Oireachtas committee to come up with legislative proposals aimed at copper-fastening the protection of children in the Constitution.

Published yesterday, the committee’s much leaked report is a significant step towards giving children the kind of protection they need against the activities of unscrupulous and predatory adults.