Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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685. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs why the walk-in child sexual abuse service in County Galway is being shut down by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency; her views on whether this is the correct approach; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19154/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has advised that it does not provide funding for this Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in Galway. The Unit is funded by the Health Service Executive under its Acute Hospitals Programme.

Tusla has further advised that although the Unit was closed for a period of time, it has re opened. It is now open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tusla has a good working relationship with the Unit in question.

Tusla has established a national Interagency Steering Committee on services for children who have been sexually abused and is progressing work on regional co-ordination of services for these children.

I am not in a position to comment on the specific issue of availability of national forensic medical services for children who have been sexually abused as these services are funded and managed by the Health Services Executive, which comes under the remit of the Department of Health.