Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I appreciate the work going on in respect of all that. Bringing forward legislation, setting up new agencies and focusing on all this is worthy and worthwhile but the key issue is ensuring we have the resources to deal with what is basically a pandemic across our society. According to report from the Central Statistics Office yesterday, four out of five victims of sexual abuse know the perpetrator. Half of those are children and the violence often occurs within families. Where victims of child abuse report the crime as an adult, it will have traumatised them throughout their lives. It is very important, therefore, that they are dealt with efficiently and effectively and that the system works with them. The Courts Service is part of that but so too are all the other services the Minister mentioned. We must have adequate therapeutic services in place to assist people to move forward in their lives and have a bright future. People deserve that and it is an absolute priority that the Department of Justice deals with this matter appropriately.

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