Latest news with #Toibin
Irish Daily Mirror
20-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Availability of porn to kids being linked to surge of sex attacks across country
The widespread availability of pornography to children is being linked to a surge of sex attacks across the country. New figures released last week showed there are now 800 sex offenders behind bars in Ireland, up 64 per cent in three years. In the 10-year period between 2011 and 2021 the number of sexual offences recorded increased from 1,958 to 3,433 – a huge rise of 75 per cent. The number of rapes increased from 447 to 983 during that time. The number of women who have been raped in Ireland is now almost treble the rate in the EU. The average number of women reporting rape in Ireland in 2022 stood at 34 per 100,000 women. This is significantly higher than the 12 per 100,000 across six European Union states with comparable statistics. But domestic violence is also out of control. In 2014 there were 14,264 cases where domestic violence was considered a motive recorded on the Garda Pulse System and by 2023 this had risen to 46,439. The figure for domestic abuse in the first quarter of 2024 was nearly the same as that for the whole year of 2014. The leader of Aontú Peadar Toibin said: 'These are shocking figures. The number of women we have being raped in Ireland is almost treble the rate of the EU. 'Ireland is becoming a more violent place for women. The rates of domestic violence, sexual violence and rape are all increasing. 'I do not believe the State even recognises what is happening at the moment. The perpetrators of these crimes are getting younger and younger.' Aontu leader Peadar Toibin He revealed that both Children at Risk in Ireland and CRAI, a specialist and professional therapy service for children, found that child-on-child abuse has increased by 44 per cent in the past two years. Deputy Toibin stated: 'The culture of the country is radically changing. That has to be recognised. The criminal justice system is not being used to shut down the perpetrators of these crimes. 'Today eight and nine-year-olds are accessing explicit hardcore materials that would have been illegal for viewing by adults just a generation ago. Research at the School of Psychology in the University of Galway has shown that almost 60 per cent of teenage boys in the State had consumed hardcore pornography before the age of 13. 'Porn has become so easily accessible that many parents find it virtually impossible to exercise control over what their children consume.' The Meath West TD spoke to a parent recently who told him that over Christmas their 10--year-old was on the iPad which they checked. There were two searches. The first search was about Santa Claus and the second was a violent display of oral sex. He added: 'This is the situation for young children. Deputy Toibin is now demanding the Government bring in a new law to ban the provision of hardcore violent porn to young children (Image: Getty) 'There is no doubt the repeated consumption of violent scenes is changing the nature of young boys and young men in relation to relationships. 'There is an ocean of evidence pointing in that direction. The Children Ombudsman in England has written extensively about how this is a significant cause of sexual violence. 'We have seen high-profile cases in this country such as the case of Ana Kriegel [murdered in 2018]. It was a heartbreaking shocking case where the perpetrators – young boys – had accessed horrific violence on their phones.' Deputy Toibin is now demanding the Government bring in a new law to ban the provision of hardcore violent porn to young children. He tried to introduce such a Bill himself before but got nowhere. He said: 'The Government has enough cop on to ban the advertisement of junk food to kids but it does not have enough cop on to ban the provision of hardcore, violent porn to those same young boys.' Sign up to the Irish Mirror's Courts and Crime newsletter here and get breaking crime updates and news from the courts direct to your inbox.
The Irish Sun
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
‘Great frustration' – National Children's Hospital won't treat patients until June 2026 after 15 delays on €2.24bn build
THE first patients will not be treated in Ireland's new €2.24 billion National Children's Hospital until at least June 2026. The infamous project has been delayed 15 TIMES with cost overruns spiralling out of control. Advertisement 2 Images of the inside of the new hospital Credit: PR Handout image 2 The hospital has faces 15 delays - and now won't treat patients until at least June 2026 Credit: PR Handout image The development board of the new hospital is locked in legal disputes with builder BAM over a series of financial claims. Today the Dail Public Accounts Committee was told the new And officials admitted that they could not pledge that this will be the final delay to the botched project. Children's Health Ireland Chief Executive Lucy Nugent said: 'The best optimum date would be the end of June of 2026.' Advertisement READ MORE ON IRISH NEWS The committee also heard from the chief Executive of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, David Gunning. He said: 'This further delay is a cause of great frustration.' It is the Gunning told the committee the contractor maintains the delays are caused by design change, but he disagreed with this. Advertisement MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN He estimated that it was costing €2 million per month of delay. Amid outcry, Opposition parties today blasted the Government over the shocking cost overruns for the new National Children's Hospital and yet another delay in its completion. HEATED DEBATE Tanaiste Under fierce questioning from Aontu's Peadar Toibin during Leaders' Questions in the Dail, Harris said: 'Of course I am responsible. I am responsible for bringing the decision to cabinet. I am going to be responsible for a world class facility.' Advertisement Harris fired back at Toibin, snapping: 'Nobody gets everything right in politics…as you sit over there and correct everybody's homework.' The Fine Gael leader continued: 'You rehearsed your lines that you must practice in front of the mirror in the morning. I am responsible, of course I am responsible. "I am responsible for bringing the proposal to cabinet, I am responsible for recommending we proceed. 'BLAME-SHIFTING' "And the easiest thing to do in politics if you don't want to get into any challenging situation is never make a decision. Advertisement 'I am also going to be responsible for a world class facility, we are going to be responsible for transforming children's healthcare.' But Toibin fumed that Harris was like 'an under-pressure estate agent furiously trying to sell an over-priced, extortionate, exorbitant hospital to an increasingly angry population'. The Aontu boss described the NCH as 'a monument to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael waste and blame-shifting." And Toibin told Harris: 'Your fingers are all over this … accountability and yourself are like oil and water.' Advertisement
