MS Mary Flaherty TD, who is a member of the Dail Social Affairs Committee, and supports the banning of physical punishment of children, told the seminar that there was "a reasonable amount of support" for such a ban in the Dail. But "a remarkable number" of those people did not want it known. They believed, she said, that public opinion is lagging behind the "radical" proposals of the ISPCC.
She was "positively encouraged" by the support of fellow committee members for "moving quite radically" on the issue, but indicated there was also "strong representation for the pro smacking view" among other members. The committee has commissioned two lawyers to draft legislation which, she feels, will include the Law Reform Commission's recommendations as well as those of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. "That will be the test," she said, "in two months time, when the draft legislation is presented." She expected to know "by Christmas just how far our legislators are prepared to go on the matter.
Later, she told The Irish Times she wanted to see proper structures put in place to ensure children's rights were respected. She felt "a programme manager" with responsibility for children should be appointed by each health board and, at a national level, there should be a children's Ombudsman appointed.
Earlier, Ms Mart a Santos Pais, rapporteur with the UN committee on the Rights of the Child (a monitoring body set up to assess the progress being made in 187 countries which ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child), told the seminar that "children are not the property of their parents". She referred to the family as "the fundamental environment for the harmonious development of the child".