Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 Feb 1998

Vol. 487 No. 1

Written Answers. - Child Abuse.

Liz McManus

Question:

36 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the terms of reference of the inquiry announced by him into cases of sex abuse involving swimming coaches; the individual who will carry out the inquiry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3283/98]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

129 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will initiate a full independent judicial inquiry in view of recent indications from the parents of victims in the recent swimming coach child sexual abuse case; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that parents of victims are entirely dependent on such an inquiry in order to achieve a thorough investigation into all the circumstances surrounding the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3611/98]

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Dr. McDaid)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 129 together.

The Government decided yesterday to appoint Dr. Roderick Murphy, SC, chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators to investigate certain matters relating to the affairs of the Irish Amateur Swimming Association — IASA — its Leinster branch and affiliated clubs.

In arriving at its decision, the Government took account of all the issues arising, including the concerns of victims, the desire for privacy of a number of victims and their families and the wider public policy issue of how best child sex abuse cases should be handled in such circumstances in the future.

Having weighed up all these issues, the Government took its course of action, in the interest of the victims, children currently in swimming and children in sport generally and to secure a speedy inquiry.

Dr. Murphy has been asked to conduct his investigations in private and to report to the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation by 10 March 1998. Subject to the need to preserve the confidentiality of victims his findings will be made public. The matters which Dr. Murphy has been asked to report on are the following: the arrangements which the IASA, the Leinster branch and affiliated clubs had in place since 1975 for the detection and prevention of child sexual abuse; the procedures, including functional responsibilities, which the IASA, the Leinster branch and affiliated clubs had in place for securing compliance with these arrangements; the manner in which complaints in relation to sexual abuse made to the IASA, the Leinster branch and affiliated clubs were dealt with over that period; the manner in which any complaints in relation to two named coaches reported to the IASA, their Leinster branch or affiliated clubs were handled by them over that period; the arrangements which the IASA, all their provincial branches and affiliated clubs now have in place to detect and prevent child sexual abuse, including arrangements while complaints are being investigated, and sanctions; and the adequacy of arrangements now in place for the protection of children in swimming.