Children must know dangers

SOMETIMES the media is accused of promoting copycat behaviour by highlighting specific crimes. However, the two young girls who were the object of an apparent abduction attempt in Dundalk this week stressed they were acutely conscious of the dangers as a result of the publicity surrounding the apparent abduction of two girls in England.

The gardaí are following a definite line of inquiry in the Dundalk case, though they suspect they will have great difficulty in securing a conviction.

Incidents of child abduction are extremely rare in this country. Even suspected cases frequently turn out to have a wholly innocent explanation. However, the Dundalk incident, coming in the wake of what happened in Britain, highlights the necessity for the proper education of children in relation to such dangers.