Border a 'bonus' for sex offenders, warns charity

Children¿s charities have urged security forces North and South of the Border to work more closely in pursuing sex offenders.

"The Border is not a barrier but a bonus for people who want to harm children," NSPCC Northern Ireland divisional director Mr Ian Elliot said.

Mr Elliot said: "We are concerned about the management of sex offenders and are calling for more co-ordination and improvements in their management".

At a conference in Dundalk today, the four main children's charities in Ireland called on both administrations for increased co-operation on child protection issues.

Barnardos Northern Ireland, the ISPCC, Barnardos Ireland and NSPCC Northern Ireland say they want both governments "to find a common approach to all child protection systems between the North and South".

The charities say differing employment practices and vetting procedures between the jurisdictions is creating dangerous loopholes for child abusers to exploit.

Speaking at the conference, chief executive of Barnardos Ireland Mr Owen Keenan said: "People who are a risk to children will try to have access to children in the jurisdiction that is less rigorously controlled".

Mr Keenan said in his opinion the Republic was less rigorously controlled. He said: "Varying systems of child protection between North and South creates dangerous loopholes for dangerous people".

Mr Keenan said: "There are a number of anomalies in the vetting systems for those working with children between the North and South creating inconsistencies in employment practices between both jurisdictions".

The Minister with responsibility for Children, Mr Brian Lenihan, outlined his concern that any child would find themselves in a situation either within or outside the family where they are subject to abuse of any kind be it neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse or sexual abuse.

However he said: "It is necessary to bear in mind that criminal record checks are not the sole answer to ensuring applicants suitability for jobs.

"There is a particular onus of care on employers to maintain good employment practice such as good interviewing practice and validating of references during the recruitment stage and also to ensure adequate supervision arrangements post recruitment," he added.