THE NORTH’S commissioner for children, Patricia Lewsley, has abandoned legal attempts to ban smacking in Northern Ireland.
Ms Lewsley said she was giving up on her aim to ban smacking because of “financial constraints”.
Her office has already spent £81,329 (€92,201) seeking the prohibition of such chastisement.
This does not include the cost of taking a failed case for a ban to the Court of Appeal in the North.
Ms Lewsley has come under criticism, particularly from the DUP, for pressing ahead with the campaign. DUP Assembly member Michelle McIlveen accused her of a “blatant attempt to make criminals out of innocent parents”.
“There are much more worthwhile ways in which public resources allocated to the children’s commissioner could be spent: supporting parents and encouraging positive parenting is a much more positive course of action,” said Ms McIlveen.
Ms Lewsley rejected the criticism and said she would continue with her efforts to “effectively protect children and young people from all kinds of physical punishment”. While the cost factor forced her to end her legal action, she would continue her campaign “to remove any defence there is for an assault on a child, no matter the circumstance”.
“The court action I took was not about criminalising parents, it was and continues to be about protecting children,” she added.
“I am disappointed that I cannot continue my legal efforts to end the unequal treatment of children who suffer an assault. However, I will continue my efforts to make sure that children have equal treatment and protection in law.”
Ms Lewsley continued: “When the Assembly set up my role, it said that the job of commissioner was to promote and safeguard the rights and best interests of children and young people. I and everyone who has supported me in this action want the message to be clear that hitting children is wrong. It has already been banned in dozens of countries worldwide, and we are lagging behind.”
Progressive Unionist Party leader Dawn Purvis queried why Ms Lewsley did not have the finance to press ahead with the case for a ban. “If the children’s commissioner cannot act on behalf of all children, who can?” she asked. “It is my view that smacking children is wrong and is counter-productive. However, this is not about criminalising parents but about helping to provide them with the tools and ability to discipline a child without resorting to violence.”
In the Republic smacking, or “reasonable chastisement” as it is referred to by the Government, is legal in a family setting. The UN committee on children’s rights has criticised the Government for failing to ban physical punishment in the home.
