Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Children at Risk Ireland, CARI, provides long-term therapeutic supports for children aged three to 18 who have been affected by child sexual abuse, and their families. It is notable that One-in-Four, which supports adult victims of child abuse, receives 75% funding from the State, such as the HSE, Tusla and the Department of Justice. At the present time, Tusla is only offering one third of the cost for 2024.

In the first half of 2023, there were 4,000 cases of suspected child physical abuse referred to An Garda Síochána and Tusla. In 2022, there were over 1,800 reports of child sex abuse. For 34 years, CARI has supplied supports for children from 3 to 18 years of age, and have only now been offered a third of the funding, while other agencies are being offered up to 75% funding. Why are children being treated any less in these cases?

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