The highest increase in reports of child sexual abuse last year was in the Southern Health Board area. There were 289 reported cases, compared with 166 the previous year, representing an increase of 74 per cent.

All health boards had reported an increase, the Minister for Health, Mr Noonan, told Mr Batt O'Keeffe (FE, Cork South Central) in a written reply.

The African states should be given every support by international bodies, including the EU, to resolve the conflict in eastern Zaire, the Taoiseach said.

Mr Bruton added that the Government had provided, within the past week, substantial financial assistance to help in the humanitarian aspects of the problem. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, was keeping in very close touch with the situation.

"Obviously, this is a humanitarian tragedy of potentially grotesque proportions.

The Fianna Fail spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Ray Burke, said there was an explosive and catastrophic situation in the area. He urged the Taoiseach to use his role as President of the EU to ask for UN intervention and prevent further sales of arms from EU member states to the region.