TEACHERS, doctors, counsellors and other professionals should be obliged to report suspected child abuse cases to the authorities, the annual conference of the Irish Association of Social Workers heard last night.
Ms Frances Fitzgerald, a Fine Gael TD and former social worker, said: "it is simply unacceptable to allow abuse or the threat of abuse to be ignored in the interests of a professional/ therapeutic relationship".
The issue will be debated today by social workers at the conference. However, last night Ms Fitzgerald insisted that fears "that mandatory reporting will cause a flood" were unrealistic, as "the flood already existed" and it was up to legislators to respond.