Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to talk about the Rape Crisis Network Ireland. I believe that it is only by speaking about matters and highlighting them that one can make things better. When decisions are taken in order to save money then we must ensure that we all know why and that it is done for the good of the whole of society.

The board of Tusla has withdrawn its funding from the Rape Crisis Network Ireland. Tusla took the decision following its research and surveys which demonstrated that the RCNI had not performed in the way it had been expected to do. Perhaps that is so. I ask for a debate on the matter as to understand is to know and to know is to defend. A debate would allow us to decide for ourselves whether such funding was a waste of money, and whether the Rape Crisis Network Ireland had not performed up to scratch thus leading to the withdrawal of funding.

There is another side to the story. In terms of the method of reporting, the data service manager of the RCNI, Dr. Clíona Saidléar, has said that not everybody reports an incident to specialist services and many people are under the radar because they do not report it at all. There are also different methodologies for reporting. The collection of data cannot always be done by computer. One must take people into consideration, as well as computers. We all back the best use of available resources and must all ensure the best use is made of resources.

The data service manager in the Rape Crisis Network Ireland has said 64% of survivors coming to the 14 rape crisis centres in this RCNI report did not report to the gardaí. That is a huge number of people who did not report incidents to the Garda. Survivors are central to this issue. Dr. Saidléar stated: "The many experiences of survivors that build this evidence-base for change are only recorded here in the RCNI data system and are visible to the State in no other way." She said that if we do not incorporate the data provided by the RCNI then the Government will get a false picture. Such figures will look good on paper but the findings will be bad for the people who are raped, suffer domestic violence and everything else.

I want a full debate on this matter. I want to understand exactly how reporting is done, who reports, how statistics are compiled, and whether both elements are joined together. The aim of the Seanad is to flush out such matters in a debate. The board of Tusla took the decision to withdraw funding, not the Minister. I want to know how boards make their decisions.