The Fine Gael spokesman on Health and Children, Mr Alan Shatter, has called on the Government not to guillotine today's debate in the Dail on the Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Bill. "A majority of victims who have facilitated the State in securing convictions against paedophiles are excluded by this Bill from seeking financial compensation," he said.

Last night the Minister for Education, Mr Martin, told a delegation of sex abuse victims he would talk to the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, overnight about amendments to the Bill.

A spokesman for the six men, who were sexually abused as boys by teacher Donal Dunne, said their meeting with Mr Martin was "extremely unsatisfactory".

The delegation sought and were refused an independent inquiry into the Dunne case, separate legal representation before the Government's Commission of Inquiry into Child Abuse, and a separate report from the commission on the Dunne case.

The Minister promised, however, that counselling for all victims would be available from February.

The delegation has since decided not to co-operate with the Commission of Inquiry as it believes it does not have sufficient legal powers.

From 9.30 a.m. today the Survivors Of Child Abuse (SOCA) group will stage a day-long protest outside the Dail in opposition to the Bill.