The Ryan report twelve months on: Does anyone care?

Spiritoftheseventies · 20-05-2010 1:47pm #1

Heard Finlay talking about this today. His quote which is reprinted in bold stuck out for me. Like he said in final line there, the lack of progress is startling.

Tánaiste outlines child protection, as groups criticise progress

The Tánaiste says progress is being made in hiring more child protection social workers.

It is a year to the day since the Ryan Report documented the horrific sexual, physical and psychological abuse by priests and nuns of children in State care.

One of the promises in the wake of the report was the State would hire an additional 230 social workers.

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan says most of them will be in place by the end of this year.

“The HSE service plan for this year undertakes to recruit an additional 200 social workers for child protection services” she said.

“50 by the end of the second quarter, a further 75 by the third quarter and the final 75 in the fourth quarter”.

“I understand from the HSE the first candidates have now been interviewed” she added.

But the head of the HSE, Professor Brendan Drumm, says 200 new social workers will be hired within the next 3 to 4 months.

“Child protection is a responsibility of the community at large, as well as of the health service” he said.

“We have to organise ourselves in our communities up and down the country to provide protection in a way that we understand is best for the protection of children”.

“It will always be a stretched service, we have to make sure however it’s doing the best it possibly can with the resources it has”.

“And yes – we will have 200 new social workers within the next 3 to 4 months” he added.

Meanwhile, it’s emerged that under a fifth of social workers promised in the wake of the damning Ryan Report have been employed.

It’s also emerged that survivors of abuse can be waiting up to eight months for counselling services.

Eight child protection agencies have today come together to appeal to the Government to take action and ensure the recommendations laid out in the Ryan report become a reality.

CEO of Barnardos Fergus Finlay says very little progress has been made in the last twelve months.

“We’ve had resources promised but they haven’t found their way to the ground” he said.

“We’ve all sorts of commitments about additional social workers and they’re not in place”.

“Children are still at risk in Ireland a year after the Ryan Report”.

“In fact, tow weeks ago a child in care was found dead in a ditch – murdered”.

“I don’t know what more one needs to say to highlight the relative lack of progress in the last 12 months” he added.

http://www.newstalk.ie/news/news-headlines/tanaiste-outlines-child-protection-as-groups-criticise-efforts/

PeterIanStaker · 20-05-2010 4:06pm

The Ryan Report, while highlighting the abuse perpetrated by the RCC, was shutting the door after the horse had bolted. Personally, I do care, and I'm sure the general public do too, but officialdom does not, and never will, give a f*ck because:
1)They are still kowtowing to the RCC like its 1932
2) It would require them to actually do something, about it which as we know is anathema to them

GarlicBread · 20-05-2010 5:00pm

I think alot of people care, but the catholic church dont give a ****.

People should be more exercised about catholic control of schools. I keep hearing these statistics that most people are still catholic etc etc. I think its a load of nonsense. A sample of about 100 people i know, 95% of whom are of catholic desent, only about 2 - 3 are still practicing. I assume its the same across the wider society.

The church are getting these stats because people still get baptized/conformed and so it is taken for granted they are catholic. A snakey tactic, but what else would you expect from the most fascist organization on the face of the planet.

The best way to pay tribute to the survivors would be to take control of schools(most at least) away from the church. Get them out of hospitals aswell.

Its not all about revenge or justice, lets not forget that the church has a propensity to run paedophile rings, that is why we are having this debate. Even the other day the churches own watchdog published a report saying that they are still potientially at it. I wouldnt even mention Brady, that man alone just sums it up.

Survivors will have no peace until a government with Labour in it gets into power, then we can deal with the issue properly. Not meaning to get politcal, but its a fact that the two larger parties wont do anything about it.

Heres Ruiri Quinn after the report was published last year,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YqsjuiHIzc

thats the response we should have gotten from the leader of the country had he any balls. The idea of a monument is good. A permanant record on the landscape that shows what the church and dept of education did to poor people in this country.

Gunmonkey · 20-05-2010 5:19pm

If Labour were to put Quinn in for Minister for Education, I would vote for them in a heartbeat, even though they will kowtow to the unions.

The sheer fact its been a year since he stated those facts and nothing has been done to drag our eduaction system away from the Catholic Church into the 20th century, let alone the 21st.

Spiritoftheseventies · 20-05-2010 5:23pm

Gunmonkey wrote: »

If Labour were to put Quinn in for Minister for Education, I would vote for them in a heartbeat, even though they will kowtow to the unions.

The sheer fact its been a year since he stated those facts and nothing has been done to drag our eduaction system away from the Catholic Church into the 20th century, let alone the 21st.

The problem is you can put in all the social workers you want but its a thankless job and some are not up to it. The case of Tracey Fay highlights that.
But really when a child is murdered in a ditch while in care you have to wonder how it has come to this.
Take a look at the constitution next time you are in Garda Station. Lists off what every citizen is entitled to. Not worth the paper its written.

moonpurple · 20-05-2010 8:53pm

in reply to OP. seems not...on boards anyway

but the cloyne report is on its way
has ireland reached outrage fatigue

moonpurple · 20-05-2010 8:57pm

there was a suggestion of a monument

they should copy the vietnam memorial in washington, black granite wall with every name, place it in the centre of archbishop ryan park in merrion square as he was singled out for special reproach in the murphy report, and he wanted a cathedral in that park

give him his reply

http://thewall-usa.com/

GarlicBread · 20-05-2010 9:26pm

moonpurple wrote: »

in reply to OP. seems not...on boards anyway

but the cloyne report is on its way
has ireland reached outrage fatigue

Makes you wonder, does any even have the energy to do a report on all the other dioceses...........

Need to get these guys away from kids, full stop.

Spiritoftheseventies · 20-05-2010 9:28pm

This also related to children in HSE Care if im right. So they go from one bad system to another. Who is looking after their needs.

Pride Fighter · 20-05-2010 10:10pm

Gunmonkey wrote: »

If Labour were to put Quinn in for Minister for Education, I would vote for them in a heartbeat, even though they will kowtow to the unions.

The sheer fact its been a year since he stated those facts and nothing has been done to drag our eduaction system away from the Catholic Church into the 20th century, let alone the 21st.

Quinn is the Labour party spokesperson for education. You can be guaranteed that a vote for Labour is a vote for Ruairi Quinn to be minister for education.

donaghs · 21-05-2010 9:25am

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

The problem is you can put in all the social workers you want but its a thankless job and some are not up to it. The case of Tracey Fay highlights that.
But really when a child is murdered in a ditch while in care you have to wonder how it has come to this.
Take a look at the constitution next time you are in Garda Station. Lists off what every citizen is entitled to. Not worth the paper its written.

It's always a tragedy when someone is murdered. But this happens to people who are both in care, and those who are not in care. I hear a lot of criticism of the care system in cases like this, but what more can be done in Daniel's case? He was out with mates that night (17 years old). Should there be a 24-hour social worker assigned to follow every person in care like a private detective?

Apart from that, the only way to avoid kids getting into trouble out of sight of their minders is some sort of Borstal/Industrial School solution. And we dont want to go back to that?

Spiritoftheseventies · 21-05-2010 10:54am

donaghs wrote: »

It's always a tragedy when someone is murdered. But this happens to people who are both in care, and those who are not in care. I hear a lot of criticism of the care system in cases like this, but what more can be done in Daniel's case? He was out with mates that night (17 years old). Should there be a 24-hour social worker assigned to follow every person in care like a private detective?

Apart from that, the only way to avoid kids getting into trouble out of sight of their minders is some sort of Borstal/Industrial School solution. And we dont want to go back to that?

The thing is if he is entrusted to the care of the state, they take on that responsibility to care for him.
I know some of these kids can be difficult but remember the case of Tracey Fay where she asked a social Care to wait with her for a hour or to accompany her somewhere. The social worker just walked off because it was after hours.
They know what they take on when they sign up and there has to be some responsibilty attached to the carer.

Spiritoftheseventies · 25-05-2010 3:54pm

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

The thing is if he is entrusted to the care of the state, they take on that responsibility to care for him.
I know some of these kids can be difficult but remember the case of Tracey Fay where she asked a social Care to wait with her for a hour or to accompany her somewhere. The social worker just walked off because it was after hours.
They know what they take on when they sign up and there has to be some responsibilty attached to the carer.

Read a bit in the Star in this morning. Again you have to wonder just what is going on.
Anyway this from the Indo.

SIX children have died while in the care of the State in just the past three months, new figures show.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) -- which is charged with looking after children in state care -- was ordered in March to notify a watchdog of all deaths after concerns grew that 23 children had died in care over the previous decade.

Last night it was confirmed that six more have died since the end of February, one of whom was murdered -- Daniel McAnaspie.

The circumstances of the remaining deaths are not known and could include drug overdoses, suicide and natural causes. The figures are far in excess of previous estimates.

The HSE has to report the deaths of any children in its care to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).

It confirmed it has been notified of six deaths since the new rules came in on March 10. "It doesn't mean that all of the deaths were violent," a HIQA spokesman said last night.

Meanwhile, the HSE has refused to hand over the files on the 23 previously known deaths to a team asked to review the cases, citing legal advice.

The HSE is now in a stand-off with Children's Minister Barry Andrews, who is trying to force them to hand over the files.

Mr Andrews is taking legal advice on the matter.

The HSE had told the minister earlier this year that 23 children had died in care. However, Mr Andrews ordered a full review after becoming concerned that the figure of 23 was "not collated correctly". The figure rose to 24 when Daniel McAnaspie's body was found.

The review group -- made up of Geoffrey Shannon and Norah Gibbons of Barnardos -- was set up in March to examine the children's care and to draw up recommendations to try and prevent the same tragic incidents happening again.

There are more than 5,000 children in the care of the State at present.

Yesterday the Irish Independent revealed the review group had yet to receive a single file.

"They have legal advice which says they can't hand over the known existing files," Mr Andrews said last night.

It has resulted in the farcical situation that the minister's office is now taking legal advice about the legal advice that the HSE has been given.

"I am absolutely determined the work will be done by the end of the year," he added.

Hopeful

Yesterday Phil Garland, the HSE's assistant national director for children, said he was "hopeful" the review team will get some information this week. He said that although they were given a six-month deadline in March, they would not have all the files until the end of June.

"We must be able to be in a position to accurately collate the number of children who regretfully died in the care of the State," he said.

"I've written to the minister last week and indicated it's so important to get it right that it will take a number of weeks and by the end of June we will have that information."

However, the decision by the HSE not to hand over the initial 23 files is likely to result in significant delays.

The HSE is due to meet the minister on Thursday to discuss the issue but neither party would comment on the meeting last night.

Fergus Finlay of Barnardos said the ongoing delays were "mind boggling".

"We are now being told those files cannot be handed over to the minister on a confidential basis," he said. "There is no need to name the children. But it is vital to know what went wrong."

He warned that the situation where the minister created policy, but the HSE refused to implement it, could not continue.

Last night, the HSE issued a statement saying it was fully committed to working with the minister and the independent review group. A spokeswoman added the handover of files "needs to be conducted in a way that protects the rights of the children involved".

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/six-hse-care-children-died-in-2192919.html

stimpson · 25-05-2010 4:06pm

There is a guy on hunger strike outside the Archbishops palace for the past week, and the only media covering it is the Belfast Telegraph.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/victimrsquos-challenge-to-church-on-sex-abuse-14815396.html

PeterIanStaker · 25-05-2010 4:11pm

stimpson wrote: »

There is a guy on hunger strike outside the Archbishops palace for the past week, and the only media covering it is the Belfast Telegraph.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/victimrsquos-challenge-to-church-on-sex-abuse-14815396.html

that's because the establishment, political and media, still scrapes and bows to the Vatican.

The Ryan report twelve months on: Does anyone care?

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