A judge frustrated with the level of inaction shown by the HSE in dealing with a case of a Romanian woman who used two of her children to beg in Athlone suggested the Government should close its childrens’ section as a mark of protest.
Judge John Neilan was hearing the case of mother of four, Florina Calugareanu (30 ) of Meadowbrook, Willow Park, Athlone who was charged with procuring her children to beg in the streets with her two children on John Broderick Street on April 22
Defending solicitor, Mr Padraig Quinn, pointed out that begging was no longer an offence, but Judge Neilan was much more concerned with the welfare of the children used in this exercise.
“It’s heartbreaking...to see children of the most tenderest ages in all sorts of weather put into that position and then have to hand over the goods,” said the judge.
Mr Quinn told him his client had only been in the country for five months, that a social worker had already intervened and that the four children - aged five, seven, 10, and 14 - would be going to school in September.
“This court has never been found wanting in vindicating the rights of children,” said the judge.
As he searched for a date to adjourn the case back to, in an effort to see what social services could come up with, the defendant began to get agitated.
Through the translator, Calugareanu said she was frustrated she had no money for her children.
“I can’t accept what this lady is saying but I can understand her frustration with the bureaucratic ways of the HSE. The rights of children seem to require 40 meetings to get anything done,” said the judge, before directing a social worker be put in touch with the family.
Arresting garda Shane Kenna told the court he had already done this and had a one line reply from a HSE social worker in Mullingar which he handed into the judge.
Judge Neilan commended Garda Kenna on his “compassion and understanding in dealing with this issue”, but snorted at the stock answer given in the letter and told the court how he had been listening to a debate on these issues on the radio whilst driving home recently.
“Looking back over the last 28 years [of his career], I realised none of the political contributors had a clue about what is going on,” he lamented.
“There are children in this country not treated with dignity and compassion. Perhaps at a later date I may record with more accuracy what is happening. There’s nothing more heartbreaking...this nauseating thing of politicians arguing about something they know nothing about.
“The acknowledgement will be put in a large miscellaneous file and will be looked at in 30 years time,” said the judge about the bureaucracy at the HSE.
“If people think Judge Neilan will be silenced on these issues, he won’t,” he said.
“All I can do is express what I’ve expressed, if the HSE cannot address that issue, then maybe the Government should shut down the HSE in as far as it relates to children.”
He directed the HSE to “attend forthwith” to the welfare of all four children at the given address and put the case back until November 3.
