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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Smacking saga could go to Lords | Smacking saga could go to Lords |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Northern Ireland Children's Commissioner, Patricia Lewsley, has defended her attempts to ban parents from smacking their children. | The Northern Ireland Children's Commissioner, Patricia Lewsley, has defended her attempts to ban parents from smacking their children. |
| Her latest attempt was dismissed by the High Court in Belfast 10 days ago. | Her latest attempt was dismissed by the High Court in Belfast 10 days ago. |
| But Mrs Lewsley says she is now considering an appeal to the House of Lords. | But Mrs Lewsley says she is now considering an appeal to the House of Lords. |
| She said: "It is a very contentious issue but I have been put in place to be the voice for young people in Northern Ireland." | She said: "It is a very contentious issue but I have been put in place to be the voice for young people in Northern Ireland." |
| She denied reports that the legal challenges have cost around £200,000: "We don't have a final cost but our estimate is we will have spent around £74,000 over three years." | She denied reports that the legal challenges have cost around £200,000: "We don't have a final cost but our estimate is we will have spent around £74,000 over three years." |
| Patricia Lewsley may make an appeal to the House of LordsThe commissioner said she had to consider a number of issues including cost and legal opinions before making a decision whether to appeal to the Lords. | |
| She also denied believing that parents who smack are morally equivalent to child abusers. | She also denied believing that parents who smack are morally equivalent to child abusers. |
| "The children I have spoken to will tell me when they are hit they fell humiliated. | "The children I have spoken to will tell me when they are hit they fell humiliated. |
| "But I am not out to criminalise parents, my intent is to support parents, to give them methods to keep discipline in the home without hitting." | "But I am not out to criminalise parents, my intent is to support parents, to give them methods to keep discipline in the home without hitting." |
| The DUP MP David Simpson has tabled a motion in the House of Commons criticising what he calls the commissioner's waste of public money in pursuit of an "ideologically driven legal campaign" and calls on her to cease "attempting to criminalise loving, caring parents". | The DUP MP David Simpson has tabled a motion in the House of Commons criticising what he calls the commissioner's waste of public money in pursuit of an "ideologically driven legal campaign" and calls on her to cease "attempting to criminalise loving, caring parents". |