Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 210: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to address the significant increase in calls to the childline help line on Christmas Day; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1690/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Childline is a confidential listening service for children and young people operated by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC). The service is available by telephone, online and mobile texting and is operated by professionally trained ISPCC staff and volunteers. The ISPCC reported that Childline received 1,387 calls and messages on Christmas day and that 85 ISPCC volunteers gave freely of their time to listen and support children who needed to talk to someone.

I have no precise information regarding the breakdown of the nature of the calls received by Childline on Christmas Day. It is difficult therefore to make any assessment of the issues raised. However, I have asked the Health Service Executive, as the body charged with statutory responsibility for child welfare and protection matters and which has an established relationship with the ISPCC, to liaise directly with the ISPCC on this issue with a view to identifying any particular areas of concern arising from the level of contact made with Childline on Christmas Day.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of unprocessed reports of suspected abuse of children across each of the child protection services areas at 2011 year end; the number of these in each area that suggest child sexual abuse; the date of first report of the longest known such cases by area; the average waiting time by area for the processing of all reports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1706/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive for the information in question which I will forward to the Deputy.