Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín has expressed his concern following research released by the Irish Times revealing that there are currently more than 30 investigations ongoing into sexual exploitation of teenage girls in State care
The Meath West TD said:
“We have been raising the scandals involving children in state care for some time and demanded accountability from Ministers.
The research outlines that social workers and other care staff reported 28 cases to Gardaí last year where they feared children in care were being sexually exploited. A further 20 reporters were made about the suspected exploitation of those not in the formal care system.
We confronted the previous Children’s Minister about children being placed in unregulated care settings, and it is now evident that capacity remains a problem. The research also outlines that shockingly, children suspected of being exploited couldn’t be placed in secure units because of a lack of beds.
This is a national scandal. As a country we are charged with the care of children and the system we oversee is letting them down.
It is imperative that the new Minister outlines how the capacity issues in relation to secure units are addressed and how any care settings are capable of ensuring that children are adequately protected and I will be raising this again as soon as possible.”
