Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the relatives of Stardust Victims have been consulted regarding the composition of the committee recommended in the Coffey Report to monitor the needs of families; the extent to which representatives of medical or other professions have been included and if a broader based committee could be formed in consultation with relatives. [9944/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will recall, there had been ongoing consultation with the Victims Committee's legal advisor with a view to identifying the level of demand for access to ongoing counselling and medical services. As this process failed to gather sufficient information to allow arrangements to be made, a public information notice was placed in newspapers asking those who wished to access such services through this channel to register their interest. Arrangements to provide these services have now been put in place, on foot of the response received. These arrangements involve a leading independent provider of counselling services and all personal details will be treated in the strictest confidence. Insofar as the monitoring of these arrangements is concerned, for the present this is being carried out by my Department in conjunction with the Department of An Taoiseach and with the expert advice of the Health Service Executive. This monitoring is restricted to the extent required to manage the provision of services.