FG CLLR. DEIRDRE FORDE CALLS FOR MANDATORY REPORTING ON CHILD ABUSE CASES & REFERENDUM ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD.

The horrifying and sustained suffering of the children in the recent case of child abuse in Roscommon starkly exposes the gaps in current legislation for the protection of children.

“As a mother and public representative I am completely saddened and revolted that statutory agencies and systems could fail in the protection of these children. I believe the bar is set too high with regard to the removal of child from the home.”

According to the “children first guidelines” neglect is defined as significant harm or impairment of development. “Forde believes that this threshold should be lowered and the definition reviewed in light of this abhorrent case. Of course I understand the difficulty in interfering in family life and the various interventions that can be mobilized at the moment, however, this case highlights the need for more robust procedures and accountability. I question the ability of a bureaucracy like the HSE to deal with such cases expeditiously resulting in prolonged agony for children in such cases.

The legislation also needs to be gender neutral as the recent case points out the anomaly of the current position and highlights the seven years sentence as totally inadequate for the crime in my view and the view of all right thinking people.

Cllr Forde states she will call on the minister to put the referendum on the rights of the child before the people in the autumn when we also have the referendum on Lisbon. There can be no further delays. The recent case and the Fitzgerald case 16 years ago highlights the moral and legal imperative on government to act.

While I commend the government for instructing the HSE to provide preliminary report within 48 hours, I believe nothing short of a full a full scale independent inquiry is needed now, Cllr. Forde concludes.

Ends.

Deirdre