RCNI Press Release 15 January 2008

Fiona Neary, RCNI Director, said, 'this is a shambles. An adult who has sex with a 14 year old can walk free of our courts, while there is no date in sight for the Referrendum required to provide child protection.

'Mr C successfully challenged the constitutionality of statutory rape laws in Ireland in May 2006. Since then the government has failed to hold a referendum which would allow Irish people to provide for the adequate protection of our children from sexual exploitation. The government is quite clearly dragging its feet on this matter. We have seen unlawful carnal knowledge cases halve since May 2006.

'Of greater concern is the lack of clarity on the matter by both Deputy Mary O’Rourke chair of the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children and the current Minister for Children, Brenda Smith. In an interview on Midlands radio today, Deputy O’ Rourke stated that she would not be recommending the Children’s referendum be held with the European referendum, that she did not see two referendums happening in the same year, but that she would be “urging haste”. Deputy O’Rourke, 18 months until the Children’s referendum is not ‘haste’, and it is not good enough. Meantime Minister Smyth continues to talk of a referendum in 2008 as his cabinet and the opposition move towards concensus on not holding the two referendum together, making 2008 highly unlikely for the Children’s referendum. Both these targets fall outside of Fianna Fáil's promise within its manifesto to hold it within one year of re-election.The Minister and Deputy are leading a government retreat and a shambles. This essential referendum has been delayed on a number of occasions since May 2006 and promises have been repeatedly broken. This is not good enough.

'Chair Deputy O’Rourke has declared her position even prior to the closing date for submissions to the Committee. She has cited widespread support for her position of taking the children’s referendum off the agenda for 2008. It is disheartening to be engaging with this vital Committee when their commitment to the issue appears to be lacking. If this Committee does not recommend immediate action once it has fulfilled its remit and reported to the government at the end of April, what an unforgivable waste that will have been. Child protection will again have been sacrificed to political convenience.  

The RCNI call for a clear government commitment to this referendum and for champions throughout the Dail to make their voices heard.'

Notes:

• The RCNI is the national Rape Crisis Sector body, which provides a strong voice for survivors and is a catalyst for social change to end rape and all forms of sexual violence.
• Unlawful carnal knowledge has remained constant at 50 in 2006 and 2007. This is half the figures in 2004 and 2005 whcih were 106 and 94 respectively

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