Tánaiste backs calls to fund report update on sex abuse

Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald has backed calls for the Government to find €1m to fund implementation of a 2002 national sexual abuse report, saying a “large-scale” review of the scale of the problem is “worthwhile”.

The former Women’s Council of Ireland chair made the comments amid survivor groups’ concerns over the failure to ensure money is in place for the report. Opposition parties claim existing statistics are “Dickensian”.

In recent weeks, the Government has been criticised over the fact it has yet to make funding available for research to update a Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland survey which was completed 15 years ago.