Mr Colm O'Gorman, director of the One in Four group which assists victims of childhood sex abuse, has said its policy of seeking contributions from clients availing of its counselling service was "pretty much normal practice" for such organisations.
He pointed out that other groups, such as the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and the marriage counselling agency Accord, also sought contributions for their services. None received State funding to provide the services, he said.
The contributions, however, were "entirely voluntary" and no one was ever refused counselling at One in Four because they had not made a contribution. When asked for guidance as to what might be an appropriate contribution, clients were told it could be from between "zero to €40".
Referring to a Sunday Business Post report that a woman had been asked for money after a counselling session at One in Four, Mr O'Gorman said no one of the name published had been to the group. However, it had established that it could be a woman who had been to them but who had given two other, different names.
She was assessed, as is the norm, at one session and later received one counselling session. In her case, and as documented, the contribution was not dwelt on, but was passed over as something that could be discussed again, he said. One in Four raised approximately 10 per cent of its funding through voluntary contributions from clients, he said.
A Department of Health and Children spokeswoman confirmed that it did not fund the One in Four counselling service.
Money it contributed to the group was to fund its advocacy and support work for victims, as well as staffing, administrative, and office costs, she said.
