Sr. Mary Ryan (Founder, MECPATHS) and Aisling Murray (Volunteer Co-ordinator) [pictured with Fr. Shay Cullen SSC and Deputy Maureen O’ Sullivan] attended a Press Conference to explore the International discourse around the restricted travel of registered child sex-offenders in Ireland, Buswells Hotel on 18th April 2018.
A Statement by Irish missionary, Fr. Shay Cullen SSC, on proposed new law to restrict the travel of convicted sex offenders records:
“For most of my life I have tried to protect children in the Philippines and elsewhere from local and traveling sex offenders, and bring them justice with some success but with great difficulty. Now, The Sex Offenders Amendment Bill introduced by Maureen O’Sullivan TD is a major and very significant legislative initiative that will surely prevent the sexual abuse of many children in developing nations. Through the Preda Foundation, hundreds of victims have been saved from child abusers but this legislation, when passed by the Oireachtas, will prevent and save hundreds more from child abuse.
Since I suggested such a law for Ireland during my visit to Leinster House last April, there has been rapid progress, and I congratulate Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan for her dedication in bringing this Bill to First Stage in Dail Eireann. I expect that the Irish people and TDs and Senators will support it and set an example for other EU countries. As a result, convicted child sex offenders will be unable to travel to countries like the Philippines, Thailand and Camboda where enforcement of child protection laws are very weak, and children and their parents are vulnerable to the monetary enticements of well-off Irish sex offenders.
PREDA FOUNDATION (People’s Recovery Empowerment Development Assistance) asks that we hear the cries of victims of sexual abuse and move with urgency to protect these voiceless children. Sex tourism from Ireland is growing and more Irish bars are opening in the Philippines. The recent media coverage of arrests of suspected child abusers in Ireland and a high-profile Irish TV producer’s jailing in the UK has once again shone a light on the problem. However, that case is only the tip of the iceberg. The internet or dark web is enticing thousands of paedophiles worldwide to travel to developing countries and abuse children, some whom they first met on-line through a human trafficker who is a relative.
The passing of this amendment to the Sexual Offenders Act 2001 will curtail child abuse sex tourism and protect children. The time has come for government, parliamentarians, and society to take action to support the Bill and protect vulnerable impoverished children.”
The Immediate National Media response can be read here
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