Media coverage of the case of the 13-year-old traveller rape victim was condemned by Mr Labhras O Murchu (FF). He asked that the attention of the press be drawn to a statement by an Irish Travellers' Movement spokesperson, who had correctly made the point that members of the travelling community by virtue of their deprived status were very vulnerable and helpless and tended to attract the attention of the media in cases like this.
Anyone with a sense of decency, compassion or generosity of spirit must feel for this young girl and her family, he said. They had a huge trauma to deal with without being subjected to the media circus in the way they were being subjected.
It was absolutely shameful and intolerable that this was happening. A call should go out from the Seanad that it wanted to see an end to this unwarranted assault on this family.
Other senators also expressed concern about the matter.
Dr Mary Henry (Ind) called on the Minister for Health to publish the procedures and protocols relating to pregnant children in health board care. Such publication would be of great interest to all professionals involved as well as to legislators and the public, she contended.
Supporting this call, Ms Kathleen O'Meara (Lab) pressed for early clarification from the appropriate Minister to help sort out the legal and constitutional mess before the courts, which, she said, appeared to reflect confusion regarding the role of the Eastern Health Board, or of any State agency which had the care of, in this case, a pregnant 13-year-old.
The House should be told who had the duty to ensure that the constitutional rights of this child and her family were being upheld.
Ms O'Meara said she also wanted to know what was the Minister's view on what appeared to have been the entry into this now celebrated case of well-known campaigners on one side of this issue.
?????ail senator's claim, last Wednesday, that some politicians had been exploiting the rape tragedy, she said it was their duty as legislators to raise issue of major concern.
Ms Helen Keogh (PD) said she would like to know how far the "in camera" rule extended in cases like this. Undoubtedly, extraordinary pressure had been put on this child and her family because of the public notoriety of the case.
House leader Mr Donie Cassidy said he agreed with Mr O Murchu that the media should give this family space because of the extremely difficult dilemma in which they found themselves. He would follow up Dr Henry's request for the publication of the health board protocols.