Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On "Morning Ireland" this morning, we heard of the release of the report from CARI, which is voluntary provider of counselling and therapy services to families and children affected by child sexual abuse. In that context, CARI spoke about the fact there are huge waiting lists for therapy arising out of child sexual abuse during the Covid period in particular. An awful lot of work has been done nationally and in this House to address domestic violence and to bring out into the open domestic violence during Covid. However, one thing Irish culture has yet to tackle is the conspiracy of silence over child sexual abuse within families. I have spoken to the Leader previously about this. This morning's report begins a discussion. At a time when people were obliged to stay in their homes, consequently children were abused in those homes. Now we have an extremely waiting list for therapy. We need to address what happens in the instances of child sexual abuse. How do families and communities deal with that? As a counsellor, women have sat in front of me having outed a child sexual abuser in their family only to see the male members of the family buy that person a drink at the bar at family events. The energy goes into silencing the person who has had the courage to speak out. I ask for a debate at some point on how we frame this. It requires delicacy and engagement but we most certainly need a debate on sexual abuse, particularly in our communities and families and how we, as a nation, need to address that, out it and shame the perpetrators and not the survivors and victims.