Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Dec 1995

Vol. 459 No. 6

Written Answers. - Sexual Abuse Cases.

Ivor Callely

Question:

73 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health the number of alleged abuse cases that have been reported for each health board area in 1995; the comparative figure for each of the years 1974, 1984 and 1994; if he will give a breakdown of the 1995 figure of alleged abuse as respects sexual, physical, emotional neglect and other abuse; the procedures followed when such alleged abuse is reported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18124/95]

Desmond J. O'Malley

Question:

82 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Health the number of cases of child or adult sexual abuse, if any, that are being investigated by the health boards; if he will give a breakdown for each health board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18174/95]

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. Currie)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 82 together.

The number of alleged child abuse cases reported to the health boards in 1995 is not yet available to my Department. Preliminary figures for 1994 indicate that over 4,600 child abuse cases were reported. However, it will be some time yet before the number of cases of confirmed abuse is known.

I propose to circulate in the Official Report the following table setting out the number of reports of child abuse reported to each health board in 1993 and the number of such cases where abuse was confirmed. In total, some 4,110 reports of alleged child abuse were received by health boards in 1993 of which 1,609 were confirmed.

The earliest annualised child abuse statistics available in my Department relate to 1979. The number of alleged cases of child abuse reported in 1979 was 136 of which 75 were confirmed. The number of cases reported in 1984 was 479 of which 184 were confirmed.

My Department does not collect information on the number of allegations of sexual abuse of adults, as the investigation of such cases is primarily a matter for the Garda.

The procedures followed by the health boards in investigating allegations of child abuse are in accordance with the guidelines issued by my Department in 1987. In addition I recently launched guidelines for the "Notification of Suspected Cases of Child Abuse between Health Boards and Gardaí" which amend the 1987 guidelines in relation to the circumstances in which the health boards and the Garda are to notify suspected cases of child abuse to each other and in relation to the consultations that should take place between both agencies following a notification.

In response to the recommendations of the Kilkenny Incest Investigation report, the boards are taking steps to improve arrangements for the assessment and management of child abuse cases, with particular importance being attached to co-operation and co-ordination between the hospital and community care services of the health services.

Health Board	Form of Abuse	Reports Received	Reports Confirmed
Eastern	Physical	*	*
	Sexual	751	291
	Emotional	*	*
	Neglect	*	*
Total		1,376	552
Midland	Physical	95	43
	Sexual	168	55
	Emotional	57	39
	Neglect	327	126
Total		647	263
Mid-Western	Physical	93	38
	Sexual	153	45
	Emotional	59	30
	Neglect	159	54
Total		464	167
North-Eastern	Physical	47	28
	Sexual	143	63
	Emotional	73	27
	Neglect	276	90
Total		539	208
North-Western	Physical	28	10
	Sexual	75	29
	Emotional	5	1
	Neglect	13	6
Total		121	46
South-Eastern	Physical	57	28
	Sexual	187	83
	Emotional	53	24
	Neglect	158	85
Total		455	220
Southern	Physical	55	22
	Sexual	162	48
	Emotional	4	0
	Neglect	27	12
Total		248	82
Western	Physical	59	4
	Sexual	154	67
	Emotional	2	0
	Neglect	45	0
Total		260	71

* Figures Unavailable.