Written Answers. - Child Sexual Abuse.
Liz O'Donnell
Question:
55
Ms O'Donnell
asked the
asked the Taoiseach, arising out of the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 83 of 14 June 1995, the number of convictions which have resulted from the 40 prosecutions taken for child sexual abuse arising out of the overall figure of 142 allegations of child abuse processed by the DPP in the four-month period 1 January 1995 to 27 April 1995; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12503/95]
Liz O'Donnell
Question:
57
Ms O'Donnell
asked the
asked the Taoiseach, in view of the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 83 for written answer on Wednesday, 14 June 1995, the number of cases in which there has been an admission of guilt by the alleged abuser out of the 77 allegations in relation to which decisions were taken not to prosecute; if an alternative to prosecution was recommended in those cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12506/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 57 together. I have been advised by the Director of Public Prosecutions that the cost and the required commitment of scarce resources in his office to produce the statistics and information requested by the Deputy would be out of proportion to the value of the information obtained.
Liz O'Donnell
Question:
56
Ms O'Donnell
asked the
asked the Taoiseach, in view of the replies to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 84 and 85 for written answer on Wednesday 14 June 1995, if the statistics on child abuse prosecutions have been completed by the DPP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12505/95]
I have been advised by the Director of Public Prosecutions that the number of files involving allegations of sexual abuse of persons under the age of seven years which were sent to his office for the purpose of obtaining a direction as to whether, or not, there should be a prosecution, was as follows: 1992, 51; 1993, 64; 1994, 90.
Of the 51 files received in 1992, 14 or 27 per cent resulted in a decision to prosecute. At least 11 of those prosecutions were to have come, or have come for trial before either the Central Criminal Court or one of the Circuit Courts throughout the country and a verdict has been reached in ten of them. That verdict has been a conviction in nine cases or in 90 per cent of them.
Of the 64 files received in 1993, 13 or 20 per cent, resulted in a prosecution. At least eleven of those prosecutions have come before either the Central Criminal Court or one of the Circuit Courts for trial and a verdict has been reached in ten of them. That verdict has been a conviction in all ten cases.
Of the 90 files received in 1994, a final decision has been taken in 87 of them. In 18 of those files, or in 21 per cent of them, that decision has been to prosecute. At least 14 of the resulting cases were to have been, or indeed have been, tried in either the Central Criminal Court or one of the Circuit Courts and in five of these, a verdict has been reached. That verdict has been a conviction in all five cases.
Prosecutions directed by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in each of the years 1992, 1993 and 1994 which were not going for trial to the Central or the Circuit Criminal Courts will have been, or will yet be, disposed of in one of the District Courts.
The number of files involving allegations of sexual abuse of a child, a person under the age of fifteen years, which were sent to the Office of the Director of Prosecutions for the purpose of obtaining a direction as to whether there should be a prosecution was as follows: 1992, 206; 1993, 278; 1994, 338.
Of the 206 files received in 1992, 79 or 38 per cent resulted in a decision to prosecute. At least 58 of those prosecutions were to have come, or have come, for trial before either the Central Criminal Court or one of the Circuit Courts and a verdict has been reached in 54 of them. In 48 of those cases, which means 89 per cent of them, that verdict has been a conviction.
Of the 278 files received in 1993 a final decision as to whether there should be a prosecution has been taken in 275 of them. In 113 of those files, and so in 41 per cent of them, that decision has been to prosecute. At least 83 of the resulting cases were to have been, or have been, tried before either the Central Criminal Court or one of the Circuit Courts and a verdict has been reached in 70 of them. In 69 of those cases, which means 97 per cent of them, that verdict has been a conviction.
Of the 338 files received in 1994, a final decision as to whether there should be a prosecution has been taken in 329 of them. In 108 of those files, and so in 33 per cent of them, that decision has been to prosecute. At least 75 of the resulting cases were to have been, or indeed have been, tried in the Central Criminal Court or one of the Circuit Courts and in 29 a verdict has been reached. In 28 of those cases, which means in 97 per cent of them, that verdict has been a conviction.
Prosecutions directed by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in each of the years 1992, 1993 and 1994 which were not going for trial to the Central or the Circuit Criminal Courts will have been, or will yet be, disposed of in one of the District Courts.
The information on prosecutions which came before the District Courts is being sought through the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and the relevant State Solicitors' offices throughout the country and I will forward this to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
