FF calls for statutory inquiry into child abuse
Published on: 05 September 2012
Fianna Fáil has welcomed today’s report from the National Board for Safeguarding Children and has said it is further evidence of the need for a fully independent, national inquiry.
“Today’s publication is another tragic chapter in a story of failure and abuse,” said Senator Marc Mac Sharry, the party’s Seanad Spokesperson on Health.
“What further evidence does the Government need to warrant a statutory inquiry? While audits by the HSE and the Church’s watchdog are important, they are not enough in isolation. Over the past number of years, we have had a drip-feed of information through a series of isolated reviews with differing terms of reference. There is consistent evidence of deep-rooted failures in the handling of allegations of abuse and real concerns that even now, children are at risk. We need to correct this.
“While I commend the exceptional work of Ian Elliott and his team, the National Board for Safeguarding Children does not have the authority to audit a diocese without being invited to do so. Its audits also do not include interviews with the survivors of abuse. What we need now is to give a voice to all survivors who have been waiting years for justice to be done, and to monitor the compliance with child protection guidelines in every diocese across the country.
“I am once again calling on the Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald to establish an independent inquiry with full statutory powers into child abuse in dioceses around the country,” said Senator Mac Sharry.