Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 26 Sep 1996

Vol. 469 No. 2

Written Answers. - Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse.

Michael McDowell

Ceist:

47 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Health when he will announce the more specific details on mandatory reporting; the consensus of the submissions to the forum by professionals and interested parties to this question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16978/96]

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. Currie)

More than 200 submissions were received on the issues raised in the discussion document "Putting Children First" and over 400 people participated in the conference which I hosted earlier this month. I was very pleased with the extent of the response to the discussion document and the quality of the submissions received. As might be expected, those who participated in the consultative process reflected the broad range of views on the complex issue of mandatory reporting. The submissions and the views expressed at the conference reflected a spectrum of opinion, but the majority expressed reservations or opposition to mandatory reporting. There was widespread agreement that further development of our child care services is required to ensure that children and professionals can report abuse in the knowledge that appropriate investigations, treatment and support services are available to victims.

The arguments surrounding mandatory reporting of child abuse are complex and concern such issues as the most effective use of resources, professional judgment, the types of abuse that should be subject to mandatory reporting and who should become mandated reporters. It is because of the complexity and importance of these issues that I have engaged in a lengthy consultation process on the subject. In coming to a decision in relation to improving arrangements for the reporting of child abuse, I will be assisted by the outcome of the consultation process, in particular by the submissions made in response to "Putting Children First", by the presentations made at the forum and by the input from the workshops at the forum. Detailed work analysing the conclusions of these workshops is under way.

As I announced at the conference on 16 September, I will be making a decision in relation to mandatory reporting of child abuse by the end of the year.