Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. As she might be aware, last week in Letterkenny the Minister for Health and Children launched the annual statistics for the year 2009 from all six sexual assault treatment units. Seeking support in the aftermath of a rape or sexual assault is a major challenge and the work of sexual assault treatment units, SATUs, play a vital role in assisting recent victims from a number of different perspectives, including the collection of forensic clinical evidence for potential future prosecutions, immediate physical and psychological care for the victim, and referral to longer-term support.

The Department of Health and Children took the lead in the national review of sexual assault treatment services launched in 2006 and I am very pleased to see that the implementation of its recommendations is essentially complete. I am aware that the care delivered in SATUs since the launch of the national review in 2006 has developed and improved and now includes the provision of services to clients who choose not to report to the Garda and the inclusion of preventative care, for example, regarding sexually transmitted infections. These improvements will soon be reflected in the new national guidelines on referral and forensic clinical examination currently under way, and the Minister looks forward to their publication.

There were 51 attendances at the SATU in the Longford-Westmeath Regional Hospital, Mullingar last year. At the first visit patients are offered a clinical or forensic examination, psychological care and post-coital emergency contraception. A screening for sexually transmitted infections is offered approximately four weeks following the initial visit. Some 44 patients had a forensic clinical examination. Six of the patients did not report the incident to the Garda and only had a clinical examination.

Five doctors, one clinical nurse specialist and 11 assisting nurses are available to cover the SATU. Since its opening in February 2009, the initial services were expanded to offer examination to post-pubescent 14 year olds, availability of services on a 24-hour a day basis to patients who do not wish to report the incident to the Garda, and availability of sexually transmitted infection screening post assault in the SATU. Support workers from the rape crisis centre in Tullamore became a part of the on-call team in June and have been a welcome addition. Finally, the SATU liaison committee was formed and held its first meeting in December 2009.

On the specific matters raised by the Senator, I regret that owing to industrial action affecting the Health Service Executive, it is not possible for the executive to supply the information requested. If this matter remains of continuing concern, I invite the Senator to raise it with the Minister again in due course. It is a matter of profound regret that the industrial action by trade unions is inhibiting the legitimate right of Parliament on behalf of the citizens to elicit information of public concern and to public benefit. That is one of the most dangerous parts of the dispute. The right of Parliament to receive timely information on issues of genuine public concern is not being satisfied, which is one of the most regrettable aspects of the ongoing industrial dispute.