Irish Bars are Front for Child Sex Industry Claims Priest
Published in the Catholic Times
May 06, 2001
AN Irish Columban missionary, who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to combat child prostituion in the Philippines, claims Irish bars could be involved in the sex tourism industry.
Fr. Shay Cullen said most Filipino bars were frequented by people offering the services of women prostitutes and some used this business as a cover for supplying children.
These included a growing number of Irish theme bars, most of which were owned by native Filipinos but which attracted Irish visitors.
He criticized Ireland's government for not being more supportive of his work, and for not warning Irish visitors to Philippines that they could be exposed to soliciting if they visit Irish pubs.
"The Irish Government has clout with the UN. They can, if they want, make an issue of this."
Fr. Cullen, who has worked in the Philippines for 30 years, runs the PREDA Foundation in Olongapo which rescues women and children from the sex industry.
His proposer for the Nobel Peace Prize, Edinburgh South MP Nigel Griffiths, who lobbied for Britain's anti-sex tourism law 1990s, claims Fr. Cullen's work helped galvanize Parliament into passing the legislation.
"He is one of the bravest people I have ever met and his eye witness account
convinced us it was a severe problem," said Mr. Griffiths.
FINTAN DEERE
