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	Plea to Politicians for Abuse Probe The Argus November 3, 2009 http://www.argus.ie/breaking-news/national-news/plea-to-politicians-for-abuse-probe-1931367.html The Northern Ireland government has been urged to examine the scale of child abuse in Catholic Church and State-run institutions in the region. Politicians in the Stormont Assembly condemned child abuse as a "disgrace against humanity", though they were divided on how to tackle the legacy of abuse. But after the Ryan Report uncovered widespread abuse in Catholic-run institutions in the Republic of Ireland, victims successfully lobbied politicians for a review of cases north of the Irish border. A petition of 6,000 signatures was brought to Parliament Buildings where a majority of Assembly Members backed their calls and asked the Executive to launch a review. Carmel Hanna, of the nationalist SDLP, said: "Irish people today and for decades to come will ask how the appalling horrors and terrors that have been documented were inflicted on innocent children placed in the care of religious orders by the State." She added: "The fact is that the relevant religious congregations operated on an all-island basis and there have been allegations and, indeed, criminal convictions of some of those who were supposed to be the primary protectors of children. "That is why Ryan needs to complemented and finalised by a postscript for Northern Ireland and why the Executive needs to act now." The SDLP tabled an Assembly motion calling for the Northern Ireland Executive to launch an assessment of the scale of abuse and for the provision of support services for victims. It won majority support, despite attempts by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to press for an amendment that fell short of calling for an inquiry and omitted the need for cross-border co-operation. All parties, however, condemned in strong terms the litany of crimes against children revealed in the Ryan Report and recounted by Northern Ireland victims.
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