Vol. 525 No. 5
373 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science when he last met with Irish Survivors of Child Abuse - SOCA; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it is their belief that commitments made to them have not been honoured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25457/00]
Officials of my Department have ongoing and regular contact with all survivors' groups. Most recently an official of my Department met with all the survivors' groups based in Ireland, Alliance, Right of Place, ORIA, Aislinn, Right of Peace, JIFA, Irish SOCA, last Thursday, 9 November. My Department is currently, with the Department of Health and Children, putting in place arrangements to establish a national office to support the victims of childhood abuse to, inter alia, access the commission to inquire into child abuse, and act as a referral service for such victims to other State services. The purpose of this meeting was to provide an opportunity for the groups concerned to participate in the development of the office and, in particular, to ensure that the services of the office would be both appropriate and meaningful for victims of abuse.
My Department has also written to Irish SOCA, and other survivors' groups, inviting them to submit such views as they may have on the Government decision in principle to provide for compensation for those persons who suffered abuse in childhood in residential institutions for which the State had a regulatory or supervisory function. It is my belief that this process of compensation must take account of the views of survivors of abuse.
