STATUTORY bodies were not prepared to prevent the unacceptable abuse of children sent out to beg because they were terrified of political correctness, claimed Mr Dick Roche (FE). Concerns about the level of begging by children in Dublin and other cities and towns were voiced by several members.
Mr Pat Magner (Lab) said his investigations showed that around 12 families in the Dublin area controlled this "very sophisticated racket", which brought in at least £150 a week per child.
Not giving the children money resulted in the youngsters being beaten up by their parents. Parents did not turn up when child beggars were arrested on Dublin's O'Connell Bridge and held in Garda stations until the holding time expired.
It was a disgrace on us all that in our capital city there were children as young as six and seven years who were sent out to solicit money by the use of placards reading "Hungry" and Homeless", said Mr Magner.
Mr Willie Farrell (FE) who raised the issue, said social workers maintained that they were helpless when confronted with the need to help children who were sent out to a begging pitch instead of to school.
Mr Roche, who is chairman of the Eastern Health Board's Community Care Programme, said some youngsters were actually begging on the doorstep of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
Calling for effective action, he said: "It's an extraordinary exploitation of children to put them sitting on the streets in order to finance the drinking binges of their parents or of other".
It is an unacceptable abuse of children that the statutory authorities have perfect powers to prevent and won't prevent because they are terrified of political correctness."
When he had made specific complaints about children on the streets, the issue had been passed backwards and forwards between the Health Board and the Garda. Action must be taken to stop this exploitation.
House leader Mr Maurice Manning said he would ask the Minister of State for Health Care, Mr Austin Currie, to circulate to concerned senators the steps being taken to tackle this difficult area.