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	Child Protection Plan Welcomed The Irish Times July 28, 2009 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0728/breaking61.htm The Government's plan to ensure State employees report cases of suspected child abuse has received a qualified welcome from groups representing victims of institutional abuse. Minister for Children Barry Andrews today announced the measures as part of a 99-point plan for implementing the recommendations of the Ryan report into institutional child abuse. Some expressed anger that there was no extension to the redress scheme for those missed out on compensation, while others called for a tougher inspection regime for children’s residential homes. The ISPCC broadly welcomed the plan but expressed concern that “some opportunities were missed” by not putting Children First on a statutory footing beyond those that are employed by the State or who receive State funding. The Rape Crisis Network said the plan published today was "strong on specific commitments and actions". Executive director Fiona Neary said the plan was "in keeping with what the citizens of Ireland want in the full awareness of the extent of the atrocities brought to light by the Ryan report". "The Minister today recognised that words alone are not enough and this plan makes solid commitments which will directly increase child protection and child safety. Child protection requires adequate resources and this plan includes the allocation of dedicated resources in a number of key areas, including social work services." The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said the "comprehensive" plan would, when put into action, "go a long way to making sure that the atrocities that have been documented in the Ryan report will never be repeated in Irish society". Chief executive Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop said "While the adults who were victims as children of the terrible abuses in institutions will never get their lost childhood back, we hope that the commitments by the Minister in this plan will go some way to easing their pain." The centre said there had been "a significant increase" in the number of people seeking its support following the publication of the Ryan report and that it anticipated a further increase when the Dublin Archdiocese report is published. The Labour Party’s education spokesman Ruairi Quinn said it was essential that adequate resources be now allocated to ensure early action on the implementation plan. “In many cases no date has been set for completion of the process and in other cases it is as far as two years away,” Mr Quinn said.
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