Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth meets for a review of the Barnahus Model for young people who have experienced child sexual abuse

The meeting will hear from:

• Mr Des Delaney, Principal Officer, Chief Social Worker and Chair of the Interdepartmental Group on Barnahus Implementation, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
• Ms Ciara Doyle, Assistant Principal Officer, Social Work Specialist and Project Lead for the IDG on Barnahus Implementation, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
• Ms Kate Duggan, Chief Executive, Tusla
• Mr Gerard Brophy, Chief Social Worker, Tusla
• Ms Clare Murphy, Interim National Director of Services and Integration, Tusla
• Ms Helen Shortt, Lead Barnahus Model Implementation, HSE
• Ms Fiona Murphy, Acting Chief Executive, Children Health Ireland
• Mr Stephen Flanagan, Deputy Chief Executive, Children Health Ireland
• Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly, Organised and Serious Crime, Garda National Protective Services Bureau
• Detective Chief Superintendent Colm Noonan, Garda National Protective Services Bureau

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Kathleen Funchion TD said “The Barnahus model was first launched in Europe in Iceland in 1998. In 2015, the Council of Europe’s Committee of the parties to the convention on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (Lanzarote Convention) has recognised the model as a promising practice, and since then, the Council of Europe has been supporting its member states in adapting and using it.

“Our engagement tomorrow on the Barnahus Model will allow us to review Europe’s leading response model for child sexual abuse. It coordinates parallel criminal and child welfare investigations, brings all relevant services under one roof, and thus helps avoid secondary victimisation of the child.”

"We will seek in-depth information from the stakeholders attending on what supports and measures are currently in place for children and how they feel the Barnahus Model can be strengthened to continue the common goal of protecting our young people.”

Read more on the work carried out by The Joint Committee on Children, Disability, Equality, Integration & Youth

You can view the meeting in Committee Room 4 on Oireachtas TV