Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Let us put some flesh on this debate. There is a serious disconnect between debates on legislation and people on the ground. Children are suffering and people need a few bob. At a time when some of those who wrecked the country have no problem obtaining money, and others such as consultants are paid very large sums, we cannot find €100,000 for a project that caters for 260 of the most disadvantaged children in the country. I demand that the Government provide support for the children in question.

The Bill will require certain mandated persons to make reports to the Child and Family Agency of harm to children and require certain persons to assist the agency with assessments. It will also require certain service providers to carry out risk assessments in respect of potential harm to children and prepare safeguarding statements. These are welcome developments. We need to get on with the job and introduce legislation to protect children in all walks of life.

Since its introduction in a number of US states in the 1960s, the concept of mandatory reporting has evolved, with the categories of persons who are obliged to report expanding from health care professionals to other professionals and in some cases including all citizens. The types of reports of abuse have also been expanded to include sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse and neglect. Some jurisdictions have moved from a requirement to show serious harm towards a requirement to show more general harm, including potential abuse. There are significant variations in many of the jurisdictions with regard to who is bound to report and what types of abuse must be reported.

A consistent criticism of mandatory reporting is that it generates such an increase in reporting that it can threaten to overwhelm those who assess the reports and places pressure on often under-resourced services. While we all understand that services are under-resourced, children must be given the maximum priority. For this reason, I welcome this legislation.

The number of reports involving concerns about child welfare and protection increased by 36% to 31,626 between 2007 and 2011. Numerous factors contributed to the increase, including the growing population of children and the economic downturn. It is acknowledged that more children are placed at risk when economic conditions are poor. Moreover, awareness and concern about child welfare have increased among members of the public, partly due to the findings of various inquiries into child abuse - a positive development in that sense - and related systemic failures. The Children First guidelines and related educational efforts have also been successful in alerting professionals to recognise and report concerns for children.

I commend those working on the front line who have been involved in cases of child abuse. As the Minister is well aware, these are very difficult circumstances to deal with and frequently involve threats. I am aware of many cases in which threats of violence were made against people who tried to assist children living in dysfunctional families.

Another issue that is constantly ignored in the broader debate is the abuse of children and young adults with an intellectual disability. The silence on this issue is deafening. As someone who advocates for the rights of people with disabilities, I find it frightening to realise that many of their stories have never been told. The many stories that have been told have made a major contribution to creating a more enlightened culture and opened minds to supporting children at risk. However, many cases did not reach the top table, specifically those involving children with intellectual disabilities, whose voices are often not heard. Moreover, some of these people do not have the capacity to report about their cases. It is important that the Minister keeps her eye on the ball on that particular issue.

See this speech in context