Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 1 Jun 1999

Vol. 505 No. 6

Written Answers. - Child Abuse.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

239 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will ensure that official complaints regarding abuse at an institution (details supplied) will be forwarded to the Commission on Abuse of Children; and the steps, if any, he will take to ensure that the legal and other administrative costs of the commission are kept to a minimum. [14475/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

The first task of the commission will be to determine, within three months, how it proposes to carry out its work and, in addition, whether it requires alteration to its terms of reference and whether it needs statutory powers and protections. The commission will be an independent body so it would not be appropriate for me, as Minister for Education and Science, to seek to dictate to it how it will perform its functions or to interfere in its operation.

With regard to the specific complaints of abuse to which the Deputy refers, I can assure the Deputy that my Department will afford the commission full access to all relevant material in its possession, including any material which may exist in relation to the case in question. In addition, if the commission decides that it needs statutory powers to acquire information from other persons or agencies, then those powers will be provided to it.