Mr. John Lawlor:

It is a tough question. The cost is substantial. Many thousands of euro a year are spent on counselling. In general, our approach to counselling has been that whoever contacts us is offered counselling through the professional service with which we have a contract. Arising from the "Prime Time" programme, an individual contacted us who had never been in the scouts but was affected by the programme and some of what was revealed in it. The person received an unsatisfactory response elsewhere and came to Scouting Ireland which provided the person with information on our counselling service. I was very appreciative of the fact that at the last meeting Deputy Anne Rabbitte and Senator Joan Freeman referred to a survivor who had contacted them and gave some evidence of the response the person had received from Scouting Ireland. That has characterised how we work on the line. People who make calls are offered a hearing, an empathetic response and counselling. Reporting takes place where required.