Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 2

Written Answers - Child Abuse.

Michael Creed

Question:

465 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science the circumstances surrounding a meeting organised by his Department on 8 November 2000 to which Irish SOCA and five other support groups for victims of child abuse were invited; the outcome of this meeting; if points agreed at this meeting were rescinded at a second meeting on 22 November 2000; the additional parties which were invited to the 22 November 2000 meeting; the agreement which was reached at both meetings regarding a management committee; if these consecutive decisions were contradictory; the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of four groups from the 22 November 2000 meeting prior to its commencement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13746/01]

Michael Creed

Question:

466 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science the rationale of his Department's decision to fund NOVA while other groups representing victims of abuse, although consulted on a regular basis are denied funding; and if he will accede to a recent request (details supplied) from SOCA for funding. [13747/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I propose to take Question Nos. 465 and 466 together.

The national office for victims of abuse is a serviced office which is funded from public funds. It was established by my Department, together with the Department of Health and Children and the relevant health boards, and in consultation with a wide range of survivor support groups, established to provide information and support to victims of abuse in childhood. The purpose of the office is to give assistance to the support groups in carrying out their work and also to assist individuals who suffer from injury consistent with abuse in childhood. In particular, NOVA provides information to victims on the various Government initiatives designed to meet their needs, including the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse and the counselling services provided by the health boards. It also provides, more generally, information on a wide range of education and social programmes and assists, as far as practicable, victims of abuse to access these services.

NOVA is managed on a day to day basis by a manager and has a board of management drawn from four of the largest victim support groups as follows, the Aislinn Centre, Alliance, SOCA (UK) and Right of Place. These groups, which have direct and ongoing contact with the many victims nationally, can ensure that the services and activities of the office are best suited to survivors' needs.

The purpose of the meeting of 8 November was to discuss, with representatives of the main groups representing victims of abuse, plans for the establishment of NOVA. My Department invited all of the survivor groups in the country to attend. At the meeting, a draft code of conduct for the operation of the office was circulated. Groups were afforded an opportunity to discuss this code. It was agreed that groups would have a further opportunity to consider this code, and to make submissions to the manager, with their views, prior to a further meeting.

The further meeting was held on 22 November to discuss these submissions, and to appoint the management committee to be drawn from the main survivor groups. Regrettably, before the meeting commenced, a disagreement occurred between some of the groups attending, which ultimately led to the departure of the representatives of some of the smaller groups and Irish SOCA. The remaining groups, which together represent the vast majority of survivors in both Ireland and the UK, and all of which operate on a national basis, were strongly of the view that the process of establishing the office must continue. Accord ingly, a management committee drawn from these groups has been put in place. The involvement of the other groups on the management committee will now be a matter for the committee and the office manager. My Department does not have a direct involvement in the operation of the office, other than to assist the office manager, and the management committee, as they request.

There is no link between consultations carried out by my Department with groups representing victims of abuse, and the provision of funding. My Department will accept submissions and, where possible, meet with any group, which has views to express on any issue relating to the Government's programme of measures to assist victims of abuse in childhood. As regards the funding of such groups, any group can apply to NOVA for such support services, including where appropriate funding, as they may require. The management committee and the office manager will decide on an application, having regard to the size of the group concerned, the support they provide to victims of abuse and their approach generally to the objectives of NOVA.