Skip to main content
Normal View

Sexual Offences Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 January 2014

Wednesday, 29 January 2014

Questions (190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

190. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his Department's legal challenges in respect of the Drogheda review against the Information Commissioner's findings and the Office of the Ombudsman's court order for provision of documents, listed for hearing on 30 January 2014 in the High Court in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4436/14]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

191. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reasons he is taking actions with regard to the Drogheda review against the Information Commissioner's findings and the Office of the Ombudsman's court order for provision of documents; what will be the impact of these actions and who will benefit from them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4437/14]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

192. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health what he and his Department hope to achieve by the actions he is taking in respect of the Drogheda review against the Information Commissioner's findings and the Office of the Ombudsman's court order for provision of documents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4438/14]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

193. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the costs to date and the projected full costs, legal and administrative, for all parties involved in the legal actions being taken by his Department in respect of the Drogheda review against the Information Commissioner's findings and the Office of the Ombudsman's court order for provision of documents, being mindful of the fact that the third parties involved are State agencies and are also funded by the taxpayer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4439/14]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

194. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the financial support that has been provided by him and his Department to Dignity4Patients since he took office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4440/14]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

195. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health how funding allocated to Dignity4Patients since he took office compares with the expenditure on legal and administrative costs in respect of the legal challenges regarding the Drogheda review against the Information Commissioner's findings and the Office of the Ombudsman's court order for provision of documents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4441/14]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

196. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the person in his Department, or elsewhere, who decided to initiate legal challenges with regard to the Drogheda review against the Information Commissioner's findings and the Office of the Ombudsman's court order for provision of documents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4442/14]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

197. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that the legal challenges in respect of the Drogheda review against the Information Commissioner's findings and the Office of the Ombudsman's court order for provision of documents are a result of applications for transcripts of attendance at the review by both attendees and the Office of the Ombudsman; the Office of the Ombudsman sought these transcripts in order to examine complaints regarding the Drogheda review, the reason he and his Department officials have not complied with these transcript requests by the Office of the Ombudsman and particular individuals; if his attitude and actions and those of his officials in this matter reflect their recent media claims of a more transparent and accountable health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4443/14]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

198. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason he and his departmental officials were insistent on taking actions during the past two years which are causing compounded trauma and distress to Dignity4Patients clients who attended the Drogheda review in 2010; these individuals are all former patients who allege serious incidents of sexual violence when ill or injured and were all patients of the Irish health service at the time of the alleged assaults; the steps that have been taken by him and his officials to ensure their well-being and recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4444/14]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

199. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health in order to put an immediate end to this continued retraumatisation and exploitation of sexually abused patients, if he confirms that he will immediately move to use the information acquired during the Drogheda review as a basis for establishing a full and proper inquiry into the alleged sexual violation of sick and injured patients in the relevant hospital and associated consulting rooms and redeem the dignity of those who, in good faith, attended the Drogheda review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4445/14]

View answer

Billy Kelleher

Question:

200. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health whether it is felt that those who attended the Drogheda review have been treated appallingly by him and his Department - they attended a review which many found traumatic and exploitative, their support service through Dignity4Patients was stopped abruptly for six months following the review, a time when these persons were acutely in need of support; it was then stopped entirely by him and only following loss of lives was a degrading level of funding provided solely for office rental and overheads, with no funding for staff employment and service provision; this lack of meaningful funding has had a significant detrimental effect on the well-being of these survivors of sexual violence and on those who work to assist them in their recovery; if he will commit to providing a respectful and appropriate level of funding to Dignity4Patients to support it in providing its very effective, worthwhile and essential services to survivors of sexual violence in the Irish health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4446/14]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 to 200, inclusive, together.

On-going funding for any service is a matter for the HSE and I understand that the HSE provided the funding amounts set out in the following table to Dignity 4 Patients over the past three years to support the very valuable work that they offer to those who have suffered sexual assault or inappropriate sexual behaviour in a medical setting:

Year

Funding

2010

€171,890 Lottery Grant

2011

€4,000 Lottery Grant & €69,000 Lottery Grant

2012

€22,500 funding in two instalments

2013

€22,500 funding in two instalments

2014

€11,250 has been approved for payment and is currently being processed.

The HSE has also indicated to Dignity 4 Patients that it is not in a position to provide funding towards staffing costs and accordingly, the funding provided may not be used to establish a counselling service for alleged victims. Dignity 4 Patients clients may avail of the HSE's National Counselling Service and the HSE has put in place arrangements which will permit clients referred by Dignity 4 Patients to be fast-tracked into counselling as is the case for victims of institutional abuse. Dignity 4 Patients clients of course have the right to access all appropriate health and social care services in the same way as any other citizen. The HSE has also suggested to Dignity 4 Patients that they consider establishing synergies with other similar agencies, in order that their client group can continue to be supported.

Regarding the Deputy's question relating to setting up an Inquiry, I have no plans to set up a further Inquiry on foot of the Drogheda Review. In October 2009, the then Minister for Health and Children announced the establishment of an independent non statutory review, the “Drogheda Review”. The purpose of this review was to advise her on whether a further investigation into the procedures and practices operating at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda during the period 1964 to 1995 to protect patients from sexual abuse while undergoing treatment or care at the hospital and to deal with allegations of sexual abuse against a certain doctor, would be likely to provide additional information or insights which would be of significant public benefit in helping to improve best practice guidelines and policies. This review was carried out by retired High Court Judge T.C. Smyth. Judge Smyth submitted his report to the Minister in September 2010. The report recommended that a further investigation should not be held and that, in order to avoid prejudicing any civil or criminal cases, the report should not be published. I am aware that such proceedings are underway. A short summary of the report was, however, prepared and supplied to the patient support groups in January 2011.

The High Court proceedings with the Information Commissioner and also the Circuit Court proceedings, initiated by the Office of the Ombudsman, are on-going and accordingly I am not in a position to make any further comment as these matters are sub judice. The legal costs of the Department associated with these proceedings are borne by the Chief State Solicitor's Office vote. It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of legal costs to date, or projected full costs for all parties.

Top
Share