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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Apr 2000

Vol. 517 No. 6

Written Answers. - Commission on Child Sexual Abuse.

Liam Burke

Question:

446 Mr. L. Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will amend the terms of reference of the Commission on Child Sexual Abuse to allow for investigation of complaints of persons up to 21 years old rather than the existing proposal to investigate matters to the age of 18 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10887/00]

In establishing the commission to inquire into child abuse last year on an administrative basis the Government decided to set out very broad terms of reference for the commission and asked them to report on those terms and any amendments they wished to make to them and on the powers they would need to carry out the terms. The commission after careful consideration of all the issues made their final report to the Government in October 1999. In that report the commission recommended that the word "childhood" should be defined as meaning the period of a person's life up to the age of 18 years. The Government accepted this recommendation, as it did all the other recommendations of the commission and it is not now proposed to amend it. While the legal age of majority was 21 for a large part of the period which will be inquired into by the commission, the purpose of the commission is to inquire into the abuse of people who due to their age and lack of life experience were particularly vulnerable. In setting the age at 18 in my view the commission and the subsequent Bill has set a reasonable balance which will ensure that a full and detailed inquiry can be conducted into the abuse of the most vulnerable children and young people in an effective and efficient manner.

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