THE Director of Public Prosecutions is to meet a group of deputies to discuss prosecution policy in child sex abuse cases, a Fine Gael TD said yesterday.
Mr Charles Flanagan, chairman of the Dail's Legislation and Security Committee, confirmed that the DPP had declined to appear at a committee meeting to discuss the issue.
But he said members of the committee would take up the Director's invitation to a discussion at another venue.
Mr Flanagan said he wrote to the DPP, Mr Eamonn Barnes, on behalf of a number of TDs who were concerned that there was a recurring problem with child sex abuse cases, where it appeared a time lapse between the commission and reporting of a crime made prosecution difficult.
The DPP had replied that he did not think a meeting of the committee would be the appropriate forum for such a discussion, Mr Flanagan said.
But "he suggested he would like me and other committee members to come to his office and have a chat". Mr Flanagan said members would take up the offer.
Asked whether a private meeting with the DPP was part of the function of the committee - which normally holds public sessions - Mr Flanagan said: "The function and role and concept of committees is expanding and developing.
"The DPP's office has had, no relationship with elected representatives since it was established. I would see a formal relationship being established and this would be a first step."
Mr Flanagan stressed that he did not want any suggestion of a public row with the DPP over the question of appearing before the committee.
Meanwhile, the Fianna Fail spokesman on Law Reform, Mr Willie O'Dea, said there was "widespread public concern over the fact that there is no real accountability on the part of the office of the DPP to explain the reasons when prosecutions are not taken".