Brendan Howlin to discuss Childline funding crisis with colleague

An appeal for funding to keep the children’s helpline Childline operating at night will be discussed with the Minister for Children.

Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin said he would discuss the issue of funding for the helpline, which is facing a shortfall of €600,000, with his Cabinet colleague.

But he told the Dáil there were many important helplines, which all required funding.

He was responding during leaders’ questions to Fianna Fáil’s Seán Ó Fearghaíl who highlighted the helpline’s funding crisis.

He said 45,000 children phoned the service last year but they could not sustain the service in the evenings because of a lack of funding and required €600,000.

It helped children in situations of extreme violence in their home, he said.

Mr Ó Fearghaíl highlighted Ireland’s “huge problem with domestic violence”, citing 11,000 phone calls to gardaí about domestic violence but only 278 arrests and 18,000 reports received by Women’s Aid.

He pointed out that 204 women had died since 1996 through domestic violence.

He described Mr Howlin’s pledge to discuss the funding as inadequate. “We need a pretty clear commitment now to Childline” which was an important support for children in danger.

“The sort of money involved - €600,000 - is not astronomical and not beyond the Minister for children to give that funding.”

He called for the Government to move to implement the Istanbul Convention, the first European treaty targeting violence against women and domestic violence.

Hitting out at the lack of funding for women’s refuges Mr O Fearghaíl asked “are we going to have to wait before a women or child is brutalised to death in their homes before action is taken in the way that meaningful action has in effect been taken by Government in the aftermath of the tragic death of Jonathon Corrie”.

Mr Howlin said a lot of particular action has been taken by the state and the local organisations.

He reiterated he would discuss the specific helpline with the Minister but said it was one of many in this area.

“Childline is aimed at children but what the deputy is instancing is primarily violence against women and there is a range of other helplines including the Rape Crisis Centre and all must be resourced to ensure an adequate communication system is in place.”

He said that for many people it was a difficult psychologically to reach out and make that call and it required better communications and presentation at local level.

“The most important step to take is to call the guards.”