Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 531: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the statement which was made to the child abuse commission in July 2004 on behalf of the De La Salle Order; if she will confirm that a complaint was made in 1992 regarding physical abuse in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 11; the date on which her attention was drawn to the complaint; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30188/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I confirm that in 2004 the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse held a series of public hearings into the emergence of child abuse in Ireland and that evidence was given by a representative of the De La Salle Order to the investigation committee at these public hearings on 14 July 2004 in which reference was made to allegations of abuse in the school mentioned by the Deputy in 1991, 1994 and 1995.

It has not been possible to identify a specific complaint in 1992 as referred to in the question, on the basis of the information supplied by the Deputy. However, I confirm that all relevant documentation held by my Department in relation to the sexual, physical, and emotional abuse or neglect of children in industrial and reformatory schools, including St. Laurence's school, Finglas, was forwarded to the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse in compliance with a discovery order from the commission in June 2003.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 532: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the Cabinet sub-committee which was established in 1998 to deal with the abuse of children in care was made aware of instances where persons expressed concerns to Government Departments regarding the welfare of children in institutions; the number of such cases which were brought to the attention of the Cabinet sub-committee; the dates on which the concerns were expressed and the Government Department to which they were addressed, in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30189/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In March 1998 the Government decided there was a need for a formal and comprehensive response to people who were abused as children while in institutional care. Arising from this the Government established a Cabinet sub-committee to advise the Government on measures it should introduce to fully address the matter. The Cabinet sub-committee considered best international practice and a range of different aspects to past and present instances of abuse. The committee brought forward a range of recommendations to address the concerns of victims. The recommendations were endorsed by the Government on 11 May 1999.

One of the recommendations of the committee was that the Government should establish a Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse to provide victims of abuse an opportunity to recount their experience and have their allegations investigated. The commission was established shortly after the committee reported to the Government. All relevant documentation held by my Department in relation to the sexual, physical, and emotional abuse or neglect of children in the industrial and reformatory schools was forwarded to the commission in compliance with a discovery order from the commission in June 2003.

I understand that the focus of the Cabinet sub-committee was on general policy issues rather than individual complaints or allegations and I am not aware of any specific instances of concerns raised being brought to the attention of the Cabinet sub-committee.