Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Oct 1998

Vol. 494 No. 4

Written Answers. - Child Abuse.

John Gormley

Ceist:

291 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to establish a tribunal of inquiry for the purpose of inquiring into definite matters of urgent public importance including the harm and injury suffered by children who have been sexually abused by members of the clergy in view of the significant proportion of departmental spending which is channelled through the Roman Catholic Church authorities at various levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18472/98]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. Fahey)

There are no plans to establish a tribunal of inquiry along the lines proposed by the Deputy as it is not considered to be an appropriate response to the issue of child abuse. There would be an intrinsic and probably legally challengeable unfairness in a process which focused on child abuse by clergy of a particular denomination, there is also the consideration that churches are not public bodies.

I have great sympathy for those who were abused as children and I am personally committed to maintaining progress in the development of our child care system. The issue of child abuse will be kept under review particularly in assessing any further measures that would be likely to prove useful in ensuring that child abuse does not occur. In this regard, the Deputy may wish to note that the guidelines on procedures for the identification, investigation and management of child abuse are currently under review.

In addition, the Government is fully committed to the investigation and prosecution by the statutory agencies of those who abuse children.