Services for Victims of Sexual Assault.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 February 2005

Tuesday, 1 February 2005

Questions (124, 125)

Martin Ferris

Question:

121 Mr. Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will provide the leadership and resources to ensure that the working group on forensic medical examinations is able to meet and complete its report on needs and costings for national service provision as soon as possible, in view of the unlikelihood that the report will be available in time for the 2005 Estimates, and that it is able to look seriously at the sexual assault nurse examiner programmes already being used successfully in the US, Canada and the UK. [2500/05]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. S. Power)

Following a recommendation from the National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women that the need for additional sexual assault units around the country should be examined by my Department, I have established a committee under the chairmanship of a senior departmental official to consider the matter. The committee will be representative of the relevant statutory, voluntary and professional interests and will report to me and to the committee as soon as possible.

Martin Ferris

Question:

122 Mr. Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will take steps to ensure that her Department’s working groups or committees dealing with sexual assault services will include provisions for the assessment of the differing needs of the various regions, rural and urban, as well as the needs of victims of both genders and of different cultural backgrounds. [2501/05]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. S. Power)

I presume the Deputy is referring to a sub-committee of the National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women which is being established under the aegis of my Department. I assure the Deputy that the group will be representative of the appropriate statutory, voluntary and professional interests and will be geographically representative.