Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-17
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Kieran O'Donnell (FG), Limerick City

Once again, I thank the Deputy for raising this important topic. I join him in referencing the work done by Rape Crisis Ireland and specially trained gardaí. Will the Deputy come back to us on the 80 people waiting for counselling?
As I stated earlier, I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The Government remains committed to providing sexual assault treatment units across Ireland to offer safe and confidential services for people who experienced rape or sexual assault. There are six dedicated SATUs located in Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Mullingar and Waterford. SATUs operate within a nationally agreed model of care, underpinned by defined multi-agency guidelines and referral pathways. They provide responsive, patient-centred care for people of all genders and gender identities aged 14 years and over who have experienced rape or sexual assault. Services are delivered in close partnership with key agencies, including Rape Crisis Ireland, An Garda Síochána and Tusla.
SATUs aim to provide 24-7 access to forensic examinations, medical treatments and trauma-informed support within three hours. Accessing a SATU within a three-hour timeframe is a HSE national key performance indicator for the service, with a target of 90%. This has been consistently achieved since 2018. The 24-7-365 nature of the SATU service necessitates ongoing monitoring of accessibility and a sustained focus on both infrastructure and workforce.
In addition to accessing the Cork and Galway SATU services within the three-hour timeframe, those in the mid-west can avail of immediate forensic and medical support in Limerick, which operates independently of the national SATU network and SATU governance structures.
At a national level, the HSE is currently preparing an overview of the SATU infrastructure. I will look to see that Deputy's proposal for an SATU in Limerick is fed into that review. This work is expected to inform the strategic healthcare investment framework alignment process and inform future steps. I expect the Deputy will follow this up with the HSE about this particular review in terms of including Limerick. The Government is committed to the provision of SATUs to ensure timely, compassionate specialist care for survivors of rape and sexual assault.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-17/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:38+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-17