Children's Day proposed as memorial

The Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) has today proposed an annual Children’s Day as a memorial to the survivors of childhood abuse and a reminder of the duty to protect children.

Commenting on the idea, Fiona Neary, director of the organisation said: "The most fitting memorial to survivors is to ensure we never close our eyes, ears and hearts to children’s sufferings again.

"We propose a National Children’s Day to help remind us of our duty to protect, care for and celebrate childhood. The children of abuse had their childhood taken from them, we cannot return those childhoods but we can make reparations for the past by honouring and celebrating childhood as a commitment to never let this happen again.

‘We envisage this day would involve everyone listening to and focusing on children. Government might deliver an annual report of its child protection measures and a census on child welfare and happiness in Ireland today. Schools for the day could be run by a children’s council, children might debate in the Dáil, adults might find creative ways to remember and celebrate their own childhood and inner child. Survivors could be invited to play a central role in this day," she said.

Ms Neary said the failure of the Church and State to properly honour children has led to "a prolonged and protracted public debate, where many survivors felt they had no option but to go public about the details of the abuse they suffered in order to appeal for responsibility to be taken".

"Many survivors feel that they cannot get away from abuse at the moment - they feel surrounded by it. . . . It is therefore our conclusion that it might not be helpful if the proposed Day of Atonement acts only to recreate this suffering on an annual basis.

Ms Neary said such a day would be in addition to "measures needed to ensure responsibility, accountability, reparation and justice".