Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

In light of the recent revelations regarding the Roscommon incest case and the Cloyne diocese, does the Government intend to ask the commission to conduct investigations into other allegations of child abuse? The Minister of State said it would have a future role. What type of role will it have and will it have a role in new emerging cases of abuse? In light of recent revelations can we feel genuinely satisfied that an inquiry into Health Service Executive actions carried out by a team including HSE members can be genuinely independent? There is no point unless we can get the truth. This was essentially a truth commission. We now have a monster doing really good work but it has cost the State €79.4 million over nine years. It must knit in and the findings of this report must be implemented. Can the Minister of State give a commitment to the House that it will and that practice will change?

Has the commission considered mandatory reporting of child abuse within its terms of reference? I am a former teacher and when I taught in New York where there was mandatory reporting of child abuse. It changed how I viewed the area of child protection and child neglect. The very definition of neglect included even educational neglect. With that new perspective, I was definitely more aware of my responsibility. On the Order of Business today I shared with the House one experience I had. A six year old boy in my class was always tired and could never concentrate. On talking to him, he told me that his brother was always getting up on his back at night. When I reported my concerns to the principal, there was an investigation into the family which discovered an entire litany of abuse. It was known but not about this particular child and the case was, if one likes, let rest to be reopened again. Educators or teachers will just have suspicions and need help through the law and by training to be protected and empowered to act.

The Department of Education and Science promised full implementation of the Children First guidelines along with training provided to teachers. There is only one designated liaison person in each school with another person being offered training this year. That is not good enough. Regardless of whether it is the diocese, priests, school or family, it is the child who is being hurt.