Ireland Online
November 26, 2009
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/ireland/amnesty-govt-must-set-date-for-childrens-rights-referendum-435901.html
The Dublin Diocese report into allegations of clerical child abuse underlines the urgent need to put children's rights into the Constitution, according to Amnesty International Ireland.
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The group is calling on the Taoiseach Brian Cowen to set a date for a referendum "immediately".
Colm O'Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland, said: "This report makes for deeply shocking reading, even after all that has gone before it.
"Bishops in Dublin colluded with child abusers, protecting them and hiding them, enabling them to prey on the innocent. Children were deliberately sacrificed to protect the Church. Dozens of priests and members of the clergy were involved.
"But we cannot simply blame the Church. More than three years ago the Ferns Report revealed that the HSE has no powers to prevent abusers outside the family from having contact with children.
"Nothing has changed. While she was Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin announced that the Government has no legal responsibility for what happens to our children in our schools.
"Where the State fails to defend the rights of children and abdicates responsibility for their care, then abuse and exploitation are all too often the result. Our children are our responsibility, and not the responsibility of any agency that places itself above the law. Today we see the consequences not only of cover up on the part of the Catholic Church, but also of State failure to guarantee children's rights and child protection.
"We had the Ferns report in 2005, the Ryan report in May and now this.
"The Government must fulfill its commitments and deliver a referendum on children's rights. A fitting response to the report published today would be for the Taoiseach to set a date," Mr O'Gorman said.
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