Busiest year yet for counsellors of child abuse victims

A COUNSELLING service set up by the Catholic Church in the wake of clerical child sex abuse scandals is having its busiest year so far.

Faoiseamh, a phone hotline through which victims can access help, now has more than 800 clients receiving counselling, including people resident in Britain and the US.

Service co-ordinator Bernard Kirwan said that number could rise further as first-time callers were still making contact and new requests for assistance were still coming in.