No preferential treatment

For too long women as victims have been made feel like criminals in Irish courts of law. There is a shocking statistic that sticks in my head; 10 per cent of all rapes and sexual assaults are reported to the gardai and three per cent of those result in a court appearance.

European Commission President, JM Barroso pictured with Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin, Fianna Fáil councillor, Damien Wallace and Lord Mayor of Cork, Donal Counihan on his visit to Cork's City Hall. Picture: Daragh MacSweeney/Provision.

Upon getting the case to court the woman, our young girl, teenager or child, can be subjected to the most horrendous cross examination from the defence counsel, many times in the body of the court with the alleged rapist watching.

In all too many cases the convicted rapist or paedophile (or both) refuses to ever admit wrong, denying the victim total innocence and complete vindication.

This is what that wretched man Trevor Casey did to those two young sisters, whom he raped on more than one occasion, in various locations around Cork.

He refused to ever admit to his guilt and at least show some respect to the two young lives he destroyed. Add to this the monumental error of judgement shown by both Kathleen Lynch and John Murray, the former a sitting TD the latter and ex first citizen.

Writing letters of reference for the convicted paedophile's family displayed at the very least a calamitous error in judgement, at worst a total lack of respect for the girls and their family.

At least Lynch admitted to her mistake and apologised, Murray cannot be found. I spoke on air with one of the raped girls and one line she said stuck in my head, it was when she was talking about how Kathleen Lynch said she never knew Trevor Casey but did know his parents (who were never on trial so never needed to be praised in the first place) and the letter she wrote was for them, to show what a good family they were, she said she was looking out for them, alone.

"Who", retorted the rape victim, "was looking out for my mam? She hasn't left the house in two years since this happened to us, it has destroyed her life".

How many more TD's, senators, Priests, defence lawyers, school principals and teachers, make written representations to Irish courts for people who have been found guilty of the most disgusting crimes against our young children?

How many judges, many of whom like our TDs are completely out of touch with the common Man, have listened and reduced or suspended sentences as a result of these letters?

Letting the injustice to the victim aside, these sort of representations do nothing for the judicial system, the playing pitch should be level for all convicted criminals, those who just happen to know a TD or councillor shouldn't be afforded any preferential treatment.

Good vibrations?

There was a cool hip and trendy vibe in the Cork air last week and it made me quite sick to breath it. It was orange scented Paisley air.

While I accept that perhaps many people don't get out that often and rushed at the chance of a dress up and feed in the company of the Reverend Ian, I held my council and shouted "Munster says no", but not too many people were listening, they were all very busy talking about forgiveness and the peace process and the "brilliance of the man for having such a change of heart".