CAT/C/IRL/CO/1 23. The Committee expresses deep concern that the Ombudsman for Children has no mandate to investigate allegations of acts in violation of the Convention at St Patrick’s Institution, leaving children at that institution without access to any mechanism for lodging complaints (arts. 12 and 13). The Committee recommends that the State party review its legislation on the establishment of the Ombudsman for Children with a view to including in the mandate the power to investigate complaints of torture and ill-treatment of children held at St Patrick’s Institution. Corporal punishment 24. While taking note that corporal punishment is prohibited in schools and in the penal system, the Committee is gravely concerned that such punishment is lawful in the home under the common law right to use “reasonable and moderate chastisement” in disciplining children and also in certain alternative care settings (arts. 2 and 16). The Committee recommends that the State party prohibit all corporal punishment of children in all settings, conduct public campaigns to educate parents and the general public about its harmful effects, and promote positive non-violent forms of discipline as an alternative to corporal punishment. Prohibition of female genital mutilation 25. The Committee notes the intention of the State party to restore to the Seanad (parliament) Order Paper the Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill which criminalizes female genital mutilation (FGM) and provides for related offences, some of which confer on courts extraterritorial jurisdiction. However, the Committee regrets the lack of legislation prohibiting FGM, even though data based on a 2006 census indicates that about 2,585 women in the State party have undergone FGM (articles 2 and 16). The Committee recommends that the State party: (a) Expedite the restoration of the Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill to the new Seanad Order Paper; (b) Implement targeted programmes with a view to sensitizing all segments of the population about the extremely harmful effects of FGM; (c) Explicitly define under the law that FGM amounts to torture. Abortion 26. The Committee notes the concern expressed by the European Court of Human Rights about the absence of an effective and accessible domestic procedure in the State party for establishing whether some pregnancies pose a real and substantial medical risk to the life of the mother (case of A, B and C v. Ireland), which leads to uncertainty for women and their medical doctors, who are also at risk of criminal investigation or punishment if their advice or treatment is deemed illegal. The Committee expresses concern at the lack of clarity cited by the Court and the absence of a legal framework through which differences of opinion could be resolved. Noting the risk of criminal prosecution and imprisonment facing both the women concerned and their physicians, the Committee expresses concern that this may raise issues that constitute a breach of the Convention. The Committee appreciates the intention of the State party, as expressed during the dialogue with the Committee, to establish an expert group to address the Court’s ruling. The Committee is nonetheless concerned further that, despite the already existing case law allowing for abortion, no legislation is in place and that this leads to serious consequences in individual cases, especially affecting minors, migrant women, and women living in poverty (arts. 2 and 16). 7