An Independent TD has described the sexual exploitation by predators of children in care as an “emergency”, and said there is “a desperate and almost unforgiveable lack of urgency being applied to this issue at the inter-departmental level”.
Speaking in the Dáíl this afternoon, Deputy Carol Nolan said that the “frankly terrifying and explosive report was lost in the media noise generated by the RTE payments controversy.”
“It has received nothing like the kind of media and political attention that it deserves,” she said.
“The voices of these children need to be heard above the noise. They are screaming for our help. We must not turn a deaf ear toward them,” the Independent TD told the House.
Deputy Nolan said that in June of this year a scoping report on the sexual exploitation of children in state care by UCD academics Dr Mary Canning, Dr Marie Keenan and Ms Ruth Breslin was published.
“The Report outlined in horrifying detail the predatory behaviour that these young people, mainly young girls are being subjected to,” she said.
“We were told they are being “manipulated, coerced or deceived into sexual activity in return for something they want or need, to the advantage of the perpetrator,” the Laois-Offaly TD said.
“We read how some of the most vulnerable children in state care are going ‘missing’ or running away from home or a care placement, despite the fact that some have an intellectual disability, suffered prior sexual abuse or neglect, alcohol and drug misuse.”
“Unfortunately, this frankly terrifying and explosive report was lost in the media noise generated by the RTE payments controversy. It has received nothing like the kind of media and political attention that it deserves,” she said.
“I have placed a number of PQs on this matter. The most recent reply left me almost speechless,” she continued.
“I have been informed that almost five months on from the publication of this report, the Dept of Children has made absolutely no contact with the Department of Justice to discuss these matters.”
“Nor has anyone from the Department of Justice reached out to the Department of Children,” she said.
“How can this be, Minister? We know that The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 states that a child below the age of sexual consent (17) cannot consent to sexual activity. This clearly demonstrates there is a legal and justice related dimension to this issue.”
“Yet in five months there has been no engagement with, or from, the Department of Justice on the scoping report and its recommendations.”
“I and my staff have met with Dr Canning and Ms Breslin and we had a fruitful and constructive debate. They acknowledge that Minister O’Gorman took the issue seriously and I commend him for this.”
“But clearly there is a desperate and almost unforgiveable lack of urgency being applied to this issue at the inter-departmental level. I am asking you today, to ensure that attention is refocused on this highly significant report and that it becomes a priority of this Government and in particular the Department of Children and the Department of Justice to progress the recommendations made within it. Will you commit to doing that here today?” she asked .
In response, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that the report had raised matters “of the most profound concern” and that it had raised issues of young girls in residential care, who were amongst the most vulnerable people in society, being targeted by predatory individuals and groups.
He said that the matter was being examined by a Working Group looking at institutional and organisational abuse.
Deputy Nolan said that “an immediate action that could taken or at least begun today is to deal with how these issues are classified by the Department of Justice.”
“The Scoping Report clearly shows that the reclassification of data by the Department of Justice in 2017 has led to a significant reduction in offences recognised as trafficking of children for sexual exploitation, although the reasons offered for reclassification were deemed “vague and difficult to substantiate in any meaningful way” by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.”
“It will be to our eternal shame if we allow this Scoping Report and its findings once more to recede into the media and political shadows. The voices of these children need to be heard above the noise. They are screaming for our help. We must not turn a deaf ear toward them,” she said.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that Deputy Nolan had provided a public service in bringing the issue to the floor of the House for Leader’s Questions, and that he would follow up regarding the area of reclassification and revert to Deputy Nolan.
He said that there was a strong working protocol between Tusla and Garda Síochána to protect against abuse and exploitation of children.