Mixed response on age of consent issue from child protection bodies

The Oireachtas committee’s recommendation to lower the age of sexual consent for boys and girls to 16 attracted a mixed responsefrom child protection groups yesterday.

Overall, however, most of the recommendations were welcomed as aprogressive attempt to strengthen the child protection regime andaddress the issues arising from the statutory rape controversyearlier this year.

Jillian van Turnhout, chief executive of the Children's RightsAlliance, said the report's recommendations were a significant stepforward, especially the creation of a "zone of absolute protection"for young people and the creation of an offence for groomingchildren for abuse. "It is critically important that theserecommendations are now made a reality and that we, as a society,send out a clear message that children must be protected," shesaid.

The children's charity Barnardos emphasised the importance ofacting on the report's recommendations to change the Constitutionto redress the issue of "honest mistake".

Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay said: "There is now anonus on all of us, but especially the political system, to put inplace the necessary legislation and resources to make sure theserecommendations become a reality for children."

The recommendation to lower the age of consent attracted diverseviews, however. The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty toChildren said it should be given "extremely careful consideration",while the Rape Crisis Network Ireland said it sent the wrong signalto teenagers and would diminish the protection available to youngpeople.

However, one of Government's special rapporteurs on childprotection, solicitor Geoffrey Shannon - who advised the Oireachtascommittee to lower the age to 16 for boys and girls - said: "Thecriminal law is not the way to tackle sex among young teenagers.Our focus should be to prevent adults exploiting youngchildren."

The National Youth Council of Ireland "commended" therecommendation on the age of consent, but expressed concerns at thepossible criminalisation of young people who engage in consensualsexual under the age of 16.