Written Answers. - Child Abuse.
Ivor Callely
Question:
92
Mr. Callely
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the progress, if any, of the special sub-committee to develop proposals which will address all of the issues relating to abuse, particularly issues associated with victims of abuse in State institutions and schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15634/99]
The proposals announced by the Government on 11 May, and drawn up by the sub-committee on child abuse, in response to the needs of people who were victims of abuse in childhood include the establishment of a commission which will provide a forum for victims of abuse and conduct wide-ranging inquiries into the nature, extent and causes of abuse of children in Irish society; the establishment of a countrywide counselling service dedicated for victims of abuse, and changes to the law relating to litigation in child abuse cases and sexual offences against children.
Substantial progress has been made to-date in implementing the measures. The commission has been appointed and includes Ms Justice Mary Laffoy of the High Court as chairperson, Dr. Imelda Ryan, consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist and Mr. Bob Lewis, a former director of social services in Stockport, England. My Department is making arrangements for the appointment of a secretariat to the commission and these arrangements are well advanced.
The implementation of the proposals relating to the provision of counselling for victims of abuse is also at an advanced stage of planning. The management advisory committee of the Department of Health and Children met the chief executive officers of the health boards on 26 May to discuss the establishment of these services. Discussions are continuing and the resolution of all planning and operational issues is being accorded a high priority by the Department of Health and Children and the health boards.
As regards proposals for legislation, the Government has given approval for the drafting of a sex offenders Bill which will provide for the establishment of a register of sex offenders and deal with the post-release supervision of sex offenders. It will also create an offence for a convicted child sex offender to seek or accept employment involving unsupervised access to children without informing the employer of the conviction.
As part of the package of measures to assist victims of child abuse, the Government agreed; to legislate within the current Dáil session to extend the concept of disability under the Statute of Limitations to victims of child sexual abuse who because of that abuse have been unable to bring civil claims within the normal limitation period, and to refer immediately to the Law Reform Commission the issue of limitation periods as they apply to claims based on non-sexual childhood abuse.
In relation to the proposed legislation, the Government has decided to proceed by way of amendment to the Private Members' Bill on the matter moved by Deputy O'Sullivan. The Government supported the principle of the Bill on Second Stage and Government time was made available for that debate. Government amendments will be circulated shortly and will be debated on Committee Stage before the Dáil Committee on Justice, Equality and Women's Rights.
In relation to the referral to the Law Reform Commission, I am informed that the Attorney General referred the issue of limitation periods in non-sexual child abuse cases to the Law Reform Commission on 25 May.
The sub-committee will keep the implementation of the procedures under review.
