SEANAD:THERE WAS still evidence, unfortunately, that cases of child abuse did not get reported, Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald said.

An ongoing ambivalence seemed to exist in various sectors about reporting. Sometimes it had to do with concerns about data protection or to whom a report should be made. There had been improvements, but there was a need for more focus in this area to bring home to people their duties and obligations.

The Minister was speaking in the debate on the latest report of the special rapporteur on child protection, Geoffrey Shannon.

She would shortly be bringing proposals to Government, in conjunction with the Minister for Justice, setting out proposed actions in relation to the strengthening of Children First, a revised form of which would be published in the near future. The guidelines would be supported by a child protection practice guide to be published by the HSE.

Ms Fitzgerald said she and her ministerial colleagues were committed to putting in place additional statutory safeguarding mechanisms for children, including finalising the National Vetting Bureau Bill, which would include legislative provisions on “soft information” and vetting.

“This is a very important and challenging piece of legislation which will be designed to introduce greater safeguarding for children while also having regard for the protection of the constitutional rights of any person who may be affected by this proposed law reform,” she said.

The Minister noted Mr Shannon had recommended that consideration be given to the penalising of the purchase of sexual services.

Ronan Mullen (Ind) said he was delighted that consideration was being given to criminalising the purchase of sex. Human dignity cried out for the introduction of such legislation, he said.