Children First Act not implemented because of concern over ‘flood’ of complaints

The Government has not yet enacted the Children First Act 2015 because of concerns that it will be overwhelmed by allegations of child abuse, witnesses told a UN committee in Geneva yesterday.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child heard from Government officials and civic organisations on Ireland’s progress in complying with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The ban on corporal punishment is the only part of the Children First Act 2015 to be implemented so far.

The remaining provisions have not been commenced due to concerns that what Children’s Minister James Reilly called a “flood” of allegations would overwhelm Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.

Liz Canavan, an official in the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, said the Government was trying to ensure a “very careful, planned and full implementation of all its provisions”.

She also stressed the importance of finding ways to support people to “make good and informative reports” to Tusla once the mandatory reporting provisions come into play.

Ms Canavan said they want to ensure that those categories of the population who are obliged by the new law to report concerns about abuse are “supported well to make good and informative reports to the Child and Family Agency”.

The Children First Act 2015 obliges certain professionals and others working with children to report child protection concerns to Tusla and to assist, if requested, in its assessment of a child protection risk.