Child Abuse Scandal - Shameful 2002 Deal Must Be Undone, An Phoblacht, May 29, 2009

Child Abuse Scandal - Shameful 2002 Deal Must Be Undone

An Phoblacht
May 29, 2009

http://www.anphoblacht.com/news/detail/38280

FOLLOWING last week's release of the shocking Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, the Irish Government has come under mounting pressure to undo a controversial deal it did with religious orders in 2002 to compensate victims of abuse in religious run institutions.

The Ryan Report showed that thousands of children were abused, raped, assaulted and terrorised over a period of three decades in institutions run mainly by religious orders in the 26 Counties.

Caoimhghin O Caolain

Speaking after the release of the report last week, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said that all of its recommendations must be implemented but added that:

"The shameful deal between the government and the religious orders must be undone. Capping the religious order's contribution at a paltry €127 million is nothing short of a disgrace."

Then, on Tuesday, after almost a week of varied and contradictory statements on the issue by a range government spokespeople and in the face of huge public outrage, Taoiseach Brian Cowen called on the religious orders involved in the scandal to provide a substantial additional contribution for the victims. Speaking after a two-hour Cabinet meeting to discuss the recommendations in the report of the Ryan commission, Cowen said that it had found a much more systematic volume of abuse in institutions than was previously known or accepted by the orders.

CHILD ABUSE 'NOT A THING OF THE PAST'

Speaking last week on the revelations of the Ryan report itself Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams said:

"The Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Child Abuse is an appaling and deplorable litany of abuse against vulnerable children whose only crime was poverty. All of the reports recommendations must be implemented.

"However, child abuse is not a thing of the past. It is happening every day. The government must implement the recommendations of the Monageer Report for out-of-hours social work services for children and families which are vulnerable. It is unacceptable that in 2009 the services needed to protect children in danger are not in place. "

Sinn Fein Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin also said that children are still subject to state neglect and are suffering abuse or in danger of abuse as a result. He also drew attention to the fact that the Government is refusing to implement the recommendation of the Monageer Report for an out-of-hours social work service.

"Child protection services are woefully inadequate with insufficient social workers and other front-line workers in place. The HSE knows of cases where children are in danger but the services are not in place to make the interventions required.

"The nightmare of child abuse is not a thing of the past. It is happening every day. Most of this abuse takes place in the family home. If the services are not in place then the State today will be just as culpable as it was in the past when it conspired with the Catholic Church to cover up the abuse of children", he said.

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