Refusal of funding is indefensible

THE shelving of plans for a sexual assault treatment unit at Limerick Regional Hospital over the lack of central approval for funding is a damning indictment of government cutbacks throughout the health service.

Coming at the same time as an explosion in the number of rapes in Ireland, the decision will fuel fears that fewer women will report assaults because of the inadequacy of treatment facilities in the country's hospitals.

It is bad enough that only half the required network of centres should exist.