Bernard Allen
Ceist:69 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he has any plans to make the reporting of child sexual abuse mandatory.
Written Answers. - Child Sexual Abuse Reporting.
The question of imposing a legal duty on certain professionals to report cases of child sexual abuse is one of a number of ideas put forward for consideration by the Law Reform Commission in their consultation paper on "Child Sexual Abuse" published late August.
The commission have sought views and observations on the paper from a wide range of interests, including members of the medical and legal professions, social workers, child care workers and the statutory and voluntary agencies concerned with child care. I understand that the commission hope to submit their final report on the subject, including firm recommendations, to the Government in the next few months.
I look forward to receiving their report and will consider the matter in the light of their final recommendations.