Vol. 543 No. 1
7 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has consulted with health boards on the extent of prostitution here and the level of health services available to women involved in prostitution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25521/01]
There is little information available on the number and extent of women involved in prostitution in this country.
Notwithstanding the absence of concrete numbers the plan for women's health, which was launched in 1997, identified this group as one with special needs. It also recognised that the problems faced by women working in prostitution required a holistic approach, which focused on the full spectrum of women's health needs. Since then my Department has supported health boards in the provision of all types of services for women where the need for such services was identified.
With regard to sexual health, women can avail of treatment and support services from a number of sexually transmitted infection clinics, mainly based in larger cities. In Dublin, specific services are provided at the Women's Health Project in Baggot Street. These services include outreach services into the areas where prostitutes work, a drop-in service providing counselling, primary health care and screening for sexually transmitted infections, training and education workshops and a drug treatment service. Funding is also provided to the Ruhama project, run by a religious voluntary organisation working on the streets, who work in conjunction with the health boards in the ERHA area.
During the consultation process in health boards on the national drugs strategy, which was published in May this year, little information was provided on prostitution and drug misuse outside the greater Dublin area. In the Dublin area, however, it was perceived as a major issue which needed attention. Results from a 1999 study conducted by the Women's Health Project indicated that 84% of women attending the project reported injecting heroin in the month prior to the study and 83% of the women indicated that the main reason they were working in prostitution was, in most cases, to make money for drugs.
Since 1998, special drug treatment and support services are also provided through the Merchants Quay Women's Project, which is financially supported by the South-Western Area Health Board. These services include one to one support and advice on harm reduction. A health board mobile clinic also provides methadone services for this group.
The national drugs strategy team and local drugs task forces have identified women working in prostitution as a special risk group needing particular focus on a cross task force basis. Specific actions will be developed accordingly in the task force areas where the need for such action has been identified.
I thank the Minister for his reply. Is the Minister aware that the Ruhama project, to which he referred, is finding it difficult to get funding? Is he aware that people involved in that project estimate there may be as many as 500 female prostitutes in the Dublin area alone? Is he aware that male prostitution is also on the increase? I welcome the Minister's reference to a task force because the health boards should have a greater role in providing women with assistance and we need an integrated task force on prostitution in Dublin with agencies such as the Garda Síochána, health boards, drug rehabilitation service, Probation and Welfare Service, Dublin Corporation's housing section and relevant bodies like Ruhama.
I will investigate further funding for the Ruhama project. I am not aware of any request that group has made to me for funding, but given the Deputy's comments I will follow that up.
What about the task force?
I agree with the Deputy's suggestion on the task force.
