Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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815. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the helpline was set up to deal with mother and baby home queries; the way it was publicised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30848/14]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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816. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of calls the helpline he set up to deal with the mother and baby homes have received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30849/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 815 and 816 together.

There are a number of services available to those affected by the matters being considered in the context of Mother and Baby Homes. My Department has worked with the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the need for access to information and support.

The telephone Information line available for people seeking information or details of support available to those affected by these issues has been operational since the 18 June. Those seeking such information may telephone the HSE National Information Line; Low Call Telephone 1850 24 1850 during Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The HSE National Counselling Service is also available to assist those affected. The service provides professional, confidential counselling and psychotherapy service free of charge in all regions of the Health Service Executive for adults who have experienced trauma and abuse in childhood with priority given to adult survivors of institutional abuse in Ireland. Callers to the HSE National Information line will be connected to a local service.

I am advised by the administrators of the Information line that it has received a total of 17 contacts in relation to Mother and Baby Homes since its announcement on the 18 June.

Those affected can also directly contact the CONNECT free telephone out of hours professional counselling and support service where they can talk in confidence with a trained counsellor. CONNECT is an out of hours service available from 6-10 p.m. It normally operates from Wednesday to Sunday but it is currently operating seven evenings per week as part of the response to those affected by the Mother and Baby Homes coverage. The CONNECT out of hours service is contactable at Freephone 1800 477 477 from the Republic of Ireland and 00800 477 477 77 from Northern Ireland and the UK. In the period from the 18 June to the 13 July, the CONNECT service has received a total of 631 calls of which 543 were answered. The service estimates that up to 30 per cent of calls made during this period were related to concerns over Mother and Baby Homes.

The Adoption Authority of Ireland have also experienced a significant increase in the number of calls to the Information and Tracing section and applications to the National Adoption Contact Preference Register have doubled.

For those seeking adoption information and tracing information, they may wish to visit the following sites for further information:

Tusla (the Child and Family Agency) - or

The Adoption Authority of Ireland - .

These Helpline contact details have been published on the Department of Children & Youth Affairs website (). The arrangements have also been included in a number of statements made in the Houses by my predecessor and media updates issued through my Department’s press office and HSE communications offices. As the Deputy will be aware this issue and the arrangements outlined above, have received significant coverage nationally and internationally through broadcast and print media.