Vol. 433 No. 7
48 Mr. Harte asked the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself with the guidelines available to health agencies and procedures for the identification, investigation and management of sexual abuse of people with disabilities.
Children with disabilities are covered by the child abuse guidelines which set out the procedures to be followed by personnel working with children in relation to the identification, investigation and management of abuse, including sexual abuse, of children. These guidelines are currently being reviewed in the light of the recommendations of the Kilkenny incest investigation.
I am aware of the recommendation of the report of the Kilkenny incest investigation that my Department should prepare guidelines on procedures for the identification, investigation and management of sexual abuse of people with disabilities. These guidelines would cover adults with disabilities who are not included in the current child abuse guidelines.
Draft guidelines on procedures for the identification, investigation and management of sexual abuse of people with disabilities have been prepared by the National Rehabilitation Board. These draft guidelines are currently under examination in my Department. It is my intention to circulate draft guidelines for comment to bodies representing people with disabilities in the near future before issuing the guidelines to health agencies and personnel.
