Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 550: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to introduce a ban on corporal punishment. [35672/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the issue of the introduction of a ban on corporal punishment in all settings including the home/family setting must be considered in the context of the prohibition by the State of physical punishment of children in all other settings in recent years such as schools, crèches, detention, public care settings etc introduced under the Children Act 2001.

While a full prohibition of physical chastisement (Corporal Punishment) within the family/home setting has not been brought forward to date, the matter is being kept under continuous review and an introduction of a full prohibition at some future date has not been ruled out. I am aware that the Ombudsman for Children has recently indicated strong support for the introduction of a ban as have a range of international agencies.

Until now, the approach taken has been that there is a balance to be found in trying to dissuade parents from using physical chastisement and supporting them in effective parenting versus criminalizing parents who smack. Recent Research carried out by my Department entitled 'Parenting Styles and Disciplines' (2010) indicates that the practice of the direct use of physical punishment of children by parents has declined to very low levels in Ireland. The findings suggest that the vast majority of parents (88%) disciplined their children mainly by discussing why their behaviour was wrong and using sanctions other than physical punishment for so called bad behaviour.

In terms of frequency of use of physical punishment the evidence is extremely encouraging with less than 1% (0.5%) recorded smacking their child 'regularly or always' and just 11% of parents saying they smacked their child 'now and again'. The remaining 88% 'never or rarely' smacked their child. While this leaves no room for any sense of complacency it does indicated clearly that the practice of physical punishment of children in the home setting is declining rapidly in Ireland.

The issue of the possibility of introducing a ban on Corporal Punishment within the home setting, mirroring its prohibition in all other settings in recent years, is as I have said under continuous review. It is anticipated that in due course there will be an appropriate time for the introduction of an outright ban on corporal punishment in the family setting, which will be widely accepted and endorsed by society.