Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday there were reports in the Irish Examiner and a very serious front-page article that three college students have been raped in Cork since the commencement of the academic year. The director of the rape crisis centre, Mary Crilly, who has outstanding credibility in this field for many years and who has been running that particular centre said the young women involved were between 18 and 19 years of age. The most alarming fact is the three women did not feel they could go to the Garda because of the circumstances of the sexual assault and the rape. They went to the rape crisis centre. They felt it was their own fault as alcohol was involved. Two of the three women have already dropped out of college. There is research and evidence to suggest that September and October can be the most dangerous time for young women, particularly first-year students, as they are going to college. There are commitments in the programme for Government to legislation to reduce excessive delays in trials and court proceedings but this is beyond that. I ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to convene an urgent forum involving the Garda Commissioner, representatives of the Rape Crisis Network, leaders of third-level institutions and the Higher Education Authority to begin the process of looking at this in a more comprehensive way than we have done to date. It is alarming. Apparently it is happening across the country. There was a report today on Galway. People are vulnerable during freshers' week and the first month. We cannot read these reports and not respond in a comprehensive, urgent and different way in addition to whatever legislation we have to introduce.

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