A chara, - As professional workers engaged in the field of delinquency in the 1960s, we were quite aghast at the lack of facilities for emotionally disturbed and deprived children at the time.
The much-maligned religious orders were the only institutions endeavouring to provide for the needs of children who required residential care. Child psychology and psychiatry were both in their infancy in Ireland. The development of the department of child psychiatry in the Mater Hospital, and a similar service by the St John of God Order, Orwell Road, were enthusiastically welcome by field workers and residential care managers alike.
The authors of Suffer the Little Children refer (January 13th) to the "bad apple" theory. We respectfully submit that the impetus for policy change and improvement in the field of child care came from the RMA (Resident Managers of Industrial and Reformatory Schools in Ireland Association). The association was reacting to the awful situation of trying to cope with huge numbers of children on a pittance from the State for each child - and with no support from the community. The goodwill and integrity of the founders could not be doubted: it was their energy and enthusiasm which gave us hope that the needs of troubled children would eventually be met.
In a further effort to highlight the needs, and to persuade successive governments to meet the State's responsibility, a pressure group known as CARE came into being. All disciplines involved in the care and treatment of troubled children at the time joined CARE, and, in working together, came to recognise and appreciate each other's strengths. Rev William McGonagle was one of the most enthusiastic members. It is difficult to believe that this man, so assiduous in promoting the welfare of his charges, could have uttered the words attributed to him in the headline to Maureen Gaffney's review of Suffer the Little Children (Books, December 11th).
A pointer to the difficulties which faced us 30 years ago may be gleaned from the response to a series of articles on the topic written by your own journalist, Michael Viney. Several other subjects in the overall Viney series were published in pamphlet form by The Irish Times. The single exception was the series on children who had come into conflict with the law. The lack of interest shown was indicative of the generally apathetic atmosphere in which people like Fr McGonagle were trying to improve the quality of life for children in care.
Eventually, the government of the day reacted to the pressure of the combined forces by setting up the commission of enquiry which resulted in the publication of the Kennedy Report. This report (the recommendations of which are still not fully implemented) set in train the improved situation which obtains today, e.g. assessment reports with psychological and, where necessary, psychiatric imput prior to sentencing.
It has become commonplace for investigative journalists these days to complain that they are victims of a shoot-the-messenger syndrome. We submit that Fr McGonagle and his religious colleagues of the period were, in fact, the very messengers who drew attention to the defects in the system. Instead of being pilloried, their dedication in the face of State neglect and public apathy should be acknowledged.
Finally, it is hardly necessary to state that we in no way condone the sexual and physical abuse of children by a minority of staff whose actions have sullied the name of the majority. - Yours, etc.,
Maeve O'Connor, Hyde Park, Dalkey. Maura O'Looney, Clontarf, Dublin 3.