MINISTER FOR HEALTH:MINISTER for Health Mary Harney has said it is clear there are "huge deficiencies in legislation" following the case of a Roscommon woman who was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of incest, sexual abuse and neglect of her children.
Speaking in Limerick last night, Ms Harney said it was the most appalling case of abuse against children she had ever read about and questioned how the victims were left in such a vulnerable position for so long. “I have to say it’s probably the most appalling case of abuse I’ve ever read against children and I don’t understand how children were left in such a vulnerable position for so long and I want to salute their bravery,” she said.
“But clearly there are huge deficiencies in the legislation. That legislation is probably a matter for the Minister for Justice but I know my colleague Barry Andrews has sought a full report from the HSE which I will get within the next 48 hours,” she added. Ms Harney said it was important that the facts in the case were established and said she would await the HSE report before making any “top of the head” suggestions on what has to be done next.
She did admit, however, that a lot of lessons needed to be learned following the awful abuse inflicted on the children.
“It is unimaginable and unthinkable that that abuse could be inflicted by a mother on her own children,” said Ms Harney. “I am mindful of the fact that when an effort was made to take these children into care, that effort was opposed. So I think there are many in society that need to learn very serious lessons from what happened here with this particular family,” she added.
Ms Harney said it was particularly shocking that the abuse of this scale had taken place in modern times.
The Minister made her remarks before she gave an address on the “Role of the State in healthcare in the 21st century”, a public lecture organised by the University of Limerick graduate medical school.