MEASURES to combat child abuse and paedophile rings through a European police and information network have been approved by the European Parliament.
The resolutions were-passed by all political groupings but there was uproar as Green Party MEPs including Irish MEP Ms Nuala Ahern, objected to an amendment to introduce a database of convicted paedophiles.
Ms Luisa Todini of the Union for Europe group tried to introduce the amendment and there were loud exchanges when it was disallowed.
Ms Ahern said the Greens objected to the UPE's amendment as it had not been discussed. The Green parties also feared the amendment might have a racist element, since the database information could be based on race as well as paedophilia. Ms Ahern stressed that she totally supported a database for convicted paedophiles but it had to be discussed and drawn up properly.
But Mr Niall Andrews, Fianna Fail MEP, reacted angrily to the amendment's dismissal. It would have instructed Europol, the proposed European police force, to establish a register of paedophiles as a matter of urgency, he said.
Such a register would allow European police forces to track down and monitor child sex offenders, he added. When the Green MEPs objected, under parliamentary procedure, the amendment failed.
"I am appalled at the actions of the Greens today. I believed that commitment to the protection of children was an issue that transcended party politics. I am astonished that the Greens deliberately scuppered such a useful and constructive proposal. Experts agree that the establishment of such a register would be in invaluable. The Irish presidency shares this view."
The parliament agreed to several measures. One was to enable Europol, through extra funding, to investigate criminal networks. This would take place through exchanges of experience and specialised information on organised crime, particularly crime involving children.
It was also decided to set up a centralised register of abducted or missing children. Other measures include the improvement of judicial and police co-operation to make it possible to recognise and deal uniformly with paedophilia within and outside the territory of the member-states. Justice and social affairs ministers will discuss the measures in Dublin next week.