Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 26 Sep 1996

Vol. 469 No. 2

Written Answers. - Child Sexual Abuse.

Liz O'Donnell

Ceist:

51 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Health whether there has been a review of the health board validation procedures for child sexual abuse allegations; whether current validation procedures are satisfactory; whether there is an appeal mechanism on such a validation procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16960/96]

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. Currie)

The assessment procedures followed by health boards in investigating alleged cases of child sexual abuse are in accordance with the 1987 child abuse guidelines issued by the Department of Health. Sexual abuse, as distinct from other forms of abuse, has particular features which require special attention and the child abuse guidelines set out a number of issues which must be borne in mind in such cases. Procedures for the assessment of child sexual abuse are reviewed internally within health boards on a regular basis as part of the overall management of child care services. As with the child abuse guidelines in general, any formal review at departmental level will have to await the outcome of the current debate on the mandatory reporting of child abuse as a decision to introduce such reporting arrangements would fundamentally alter the context in which such a review would take place. I will be taking a decision in relation to mandatory reporting before the end of the year.

I have not been made aware of any particular problems with regard to the current procedures for the assessments of alleged cases of child sexual abuse. Since 1993, additional resources totalling £35 million have been invested in the development of child care services. All health boards availed of this funding to strengthen their community care teams to protect children from abuse and specific measures were undertaken to improve services to assess the alleged victims of child sex abuse. These included the expansion of services at the child sex abuse units at Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin, Temple Street Hospital and Waterford Regional and the development of the child abuse unit at St. Finbarr's Hospital, Cork.

At present, parents and guardians are entitled to seek a second opinion on the results of the assessment process. I do not consider that a formal appeals mechanism would be appropriate as the assessment procedure is one which involves the formation of a professional judgement or opinion and it is not an administrative function. In addition, if a case goes to court, the court procedure provides an appeals mechanism in its own right.