Few tears will be shed for passing of threats from parents

Few tears, if any, will be shed at the passing of an era when the threat of parents using the wooden spoon hung over the children of Ireland. 

The imposition of a ban on a child being slapped in the home is a positive development and ought to be welcomed as such.

Of course, some people will complain that, by introducing the ban, Children’s Minister James Reilly has provided us with yet another glaring example of the so-called nanny state in operation.

In future, no parent can resort to the legal argument of ‘reasonable chastisement’ if they hit their child.

In fact, they can be charged for so doing.

For far too many years, by keeping that perverse law on the statute book, this country has effectively made a mockery of the human rights of a child not to be punished in this way, especially since adults have long had such protection against being struck.

Ireland should be proud of being added to 47th place on the list of countries which completely prohibit the corporal punishment of children. Mr Reilly, take a bow.