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.

Now the situation will be made worse by the failure of the Department of Health to approve the €200,000 in funding required to get a badly-needed facility off the ground, in a region already beset by troubles.

There is an urgent need for the State to provide more rape treatment centres.

Furthermore, such facilities must be made as accessible as possible. The Limerick decision means victims must travel to Cork for forensic examination following a sex attack.

The refusal to release funding leaves Limerick's Coalition representatives, Junior Minister Willie O'Dea and Deputy Tim O'Malley, defending the indefensible.