Vol. 450 No. 6
22 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Justice the present procedures which exist for inter-agency co-operation as between the Garda, health boards, hospitals and others on the handling of child abuse cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5477/95]
Under the Child Abuse Guidelines issued by the Department of Health in 1987, a health board is expected to notify the Garda of any alleged case of child abuse where it is suspected that a crime has been committed.
However, in order to clarify the circumstances in which the health boards and the Garda are to notify suspected cases of child abuse to each other, new draft notification procedures for the notification of suspected cases of child abuse between the health boards and the Garda are at an advanced stage of preparation at the moment. It is expected that the procedures will be finalised at a meeting between my Department, the Garda and the Department of Health this week. The guidelines deal with the notification of cases, co-operation in the investigation of cases and the approach to case conferences.
