Abuse services group fails to convene

The State’s national body tasked with developing services for victims of child sexual abuse has not met since October 2016.

The multi-agency group, led by Tusla, has only met three times since it was established in May 2015, but is supposed to meet every three months.

The revelation follows the publication last month of a highly critical report by the Garda Inspectorate, highlighting the State’s continuing failure to establish regional child centres providing all services — medical, policing, and therapeutic — for sexually abused children. The inspectorate called for these centres back in 2012.