Jackie Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to raise a matter of national importance, namely, the urgent need for funding to provide a sexual assault unit in Kerry General Hospital. At present, rape victims have to travel to Cork or Waterford, leaving the victims to travel for hours in the clothes that they were wearing at the time of the assault; vital DNA could also be lost due to the delay. These victims often have to travel by taxi and, therefore, their anonymity is no longer guaranteed. Surely these unfortunate people have been through enough. The standard of reporting is very low compared to the number of attacks that occur. Basic services like this unit are needed for Kerry General Hospital. The Kerry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, where services are available for all types of sexual violence, childhood abuse, rape and sexual assault, needs €260,000 per year to keep this service running. This centre caters for the whole of the county in conjunction with Kerry General Hospital and the Garda Síochána.

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