Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 1 Jun 1993

Vol. 431 No. 6

Written Answers. - Children at Risk.

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

130 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health the number of children at present regarded by each of the health boards as being at risk from non-accidental injury inflicted by parents other than sexual abuse and from sexual abuse by parents or other family members; the criteria used by health boards in determining whether children should be taken into care; and whether such lists, when maintained, are limited to children under the age of 16 years or whether they extend to children up to the age of 18 years.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

Information on the number of children currently regarded by the health boards as being at risk is not readily available in my Department. I am arranging to have these figures collected from the boards and I will communicate with the Deputy as soon as possible.

In deciding whether to apply to the court for an order placing a child in its care, a health board must have regard to a wide variety of factors, including the nature of the abuse or neglect, the likelihood of its recurrence, the family circumstances and the possibility of securing the child's safety and welfare without having to take the child into care. A further important consideration is whether there exists sufficient admissible evidence to satisfy the court that placement in care is justified, having regard to constitutional and legal framework within which such cases fall to be considered.