Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

Is it any wonder that fewer than 20% of people who have been raped or sexually assaulted in this country report that crime to the Garda when the level of treatment and support given to them is so shocking? I refer to the case highlighted yesterday by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre where two women who were sexually assaulted in the Sligo area had to travel to Dublin some weeks ago in the clothes in which they were raped because there was no local sexual assault unit that could forensically deal with them so that the evidence taken could be subsequently used in a court case.

This is a serious matter. There are four sexual assault units in the country in Letterkenny, Cork, Waterford and Dublin. A report earlier this year supported by the Government suggested that we should have six units, with the two additional units going to the Leader's area, the midlands, and the other to Galway. This would provide a geographical spread so that people who are sexually abused can have quick access to a centre where evidence can be collated and they may receive treatment. However, since the report was issued, nothing has happened. We have had no work on either the midlands or the Galway sexual assault units. We could upgrade the four existing units and establish the two new units at a cost of €2.8 million, but nothing has happened.

I ask the Leader to organise a debate on this issue. We need to send out a strong signal to people who are raped or sexually abused that treatment is available for them, the State will take their claims seriously, support will be provided and forensic evidence will be used in court cases where they have the courage to take on their attacker in open court. This is an issue on which the Seanad should take a lead. We must ensure that the Health Service Executive, HSE, through the Department of Health and Children, takes the issue seriously and immediately establishes the two additional units that would go a long way towards helping those — mostly women but some men also — who have been attacked and abused in this way. I urge the Leader to organise a debate on the matter.

I hope we have now learned the lessons from the early 1980s which my party and the principal party opposite did not learn when we went down the route of supporting a constitutional change on abortion. Yesterday, that disastrous decision had an impact in the courts on the issue of frozen embryos. I ask the Leader to organise a debate with the Minister of Health and Children so that we can determine the Government's current policy with regard to introducing regulations and legislation governing human fertility treatment. We need to arrive at a consensus on legislation.