A 15 year old Co Kilkenny girl who is living rough on the streets of Cork city has pleaded for foster parents to come forward to take her in.
The girl, the second youngest of a family of 10 and who has a twin sister, has been sleeping in doorways in Cork. She has had to endure incidents in which men tried to have sex with her and threatened her life.
She said yesterday that while she did not get along with her family in Co Kilkenny, she did not want to continue her present way of life. "I want an ordinary life with people who like me but I want a say in what happens to me. I love my parents but I don't get on well with them."
She added that two years ago, after she had run away from her Co Kilkenny home, her parents agreed to put her in the care of the South Eastern Health Board.
During the two years she has been estranged from her family, the girl has been to Dublin, Belfast and Cork, where she has lived rough, using her wits to get by.
She said Cork was her favourite city and she now knew how to look after herself and where to get food during the day from voluntary organisations.
She said after dark she would pick a place to sleep but would never sleep soundly because of the safety factor.
"I sleep for maybe an hour or two at a time but if anyone comes near me, I wake up immediately and move on. It gets very cold. A young fellow gave me his jacket once when he saw that I was shivering.
"One man I met and liked. I felt could trust him. I know now I was very foolish but he seemed real nice. But when we got back to his place, he demanded sex and when I said I wouldn't, he tried to strangle me and put a knife to my throat.
"He said he would kill me and that he would get rid of my body in the river or dump it some place where it would not be found. I know that if I went missing like that, nobody would notice that I was gone. I was lucky to get away.
She said while she has never been involved in prostitution it would be an easy option as she has often been approached by men on the streets.
The girl said while she had not attended school for some time, nothing would suit her better than to find a loving foster family and return to her studies.
She has been in contact with Mr Con O'Leary, a member of the Southern Health Board, who said yesterday he could not understand why such a young girl, obviously in danger, was apparently not being cared for.
"I can't understand it - this is a young girl who is in danger on the streets and nobody seems interested in looking after her. But if she is found stealing or breaking the law in any way, a place will be found for her in juvenile prisons.
The Southern Health Board, the Cork Garda and the South Eastern Health Board have been informed that the girl is in Cork and are aware of her movements in the city. A spokesman for the South Eastern Health Board said yesterday the board was anxious to work with the girl to solve her problems and to provide her with a range of counselling services,