Sir, - In your edition of January 13th, Ms Liz O'Donnell, Minister of State for Overseas Development and Human Rights, is reported as saying that mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse would be implemented over the current Government's lifetime.In October last year the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Frank Fahey, defended the Government's decision to abandon legislative proposals for the introduction of mandatory reporting in favour of a system of protocols. On October 9th he told the Dail: "I am aware of fears that an over-legislative approach could be counter-productive and could drive the problem underground so that less abuse would be reported."Are these contradictory statements an example of Government Departments not communicating on issues of child welfare?The scandal of our lack of a comprehensive national policy on children, the lack of co-operation between Government Departments and the Government's inability to provide necessary resources for child welfare have been criticised in no uncertain terms by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Such criticisms come as no surprise to agencies working in the child protection and child welfare areas who for years have campaigned for children's rights.As an agency that annually provides well over 3,000 hours' therapy and over 2,000 hours' telephone support to children and non-abusing family members affected by child sexual abuse, we are totally dependent on generous donors to provide funding for our professional services. Despite applications to various Government Departments, particularly the Department of Health and Children through the relevant health boards, we are still waiting for State funding.I was therefore interested and somewhat bemused by Ms O'Donnell's argument to the UN committee that the Government's tardiness in formulating national policy has been delayed by "work arising from the explosion in awareness and cases of sexual abuse".The scandal of Ireland having the fastest economic growth in the EU coupled with the second-highest level of child poverty in Europe must act as a catalyst for the Government to take seriously the commitments made by Ms O'Donnell to the UN Committee in Geneva, including the early introduction of an ombudsman for children, mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse and a constitutional amendment to underpin the individual rights of children as promised in the Programme for Government. - Yours, etc.,Jean Manahan,National Coordinator,The CARI Foundation,Lower Drumcondra Road,Dublin 9.