Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I do not accept that this additional level of protection is required in the Bill. Counselling services are specifically provided for in section 8 as a class of approved service. While I appreciate the Deputy's concern to ensure former residents' existing counsellors will be retained once the fund is established, I do not see how that position would be threatened simply because the fund is established. People can continue to attend their existing counsellor, with that service being funded under the National Counselling Service, NCS, without recourse to the fund. The Government is committed to continuing the counselling service as recommended in the Ryan report. If individuals are privately attending counsellors and wish to apply to the fund to have that service funded, they can advise the fund of their preference in their application. As long as the counsellor in question meets the criteria specified by the fund in respect of service providers, it is difficult to envisage a situation in which such a request would be denied. These matters should be left to the discretion of the fund, which is, after all, required to act in the interest of former residents. The additional specification proposed in this amendment is not necessary because the safeguards the Deputy is seeking are already built into the legislation.

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