Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 January 2022
491. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice if she will fund the Rape Crisis National Advocacy Programme Pilot to ensure that every survivor of sexual violence has access to a professional advocate as opposed to the current volunteer led service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3165/22]
View answerI want to assure the Deputy that I am deeply committed to tackling domestic, sexual and gender based violence in all its forms, and to supporting victims of such heinous crimes.
I understand that a group led by the Rape Crisis Network is examining the issue of putting a full-time professional advocacy service in place to replace the existing volunteer-led court accompaniment services funded by my Department.
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department operates a funding scheme for NGOs who provide specific supports to victims of crime, which of course includes victims of sexual violence. These services provide important information and support, including emotional support, court accompaniment, and accompaniment to Garda interviews, to sexual assault treatment units and referral to other services.Under this scheme, organisations that provide support to victims of sexual crime, such as Rape Crisis Centres, can apply to receive funding. I should also say that many of the other organisations who receive funding from the Victims of Crime fund, such as Women’s Aid and the Crime Victims Helpline, also provide support to victims of sexual violence, even if that is not their primary remit.Our commitment in this area is reflected in the additional funding that has been secured by my Department under Budget 2022 with a total of €4.9m allocated to Victims of Crime. This includes the retention of emergency COVID-19 funding of €400,000 to address the impact of the pandemic on support services and an additional €785,000 in direct supports to NGOs and for specific domestic violence intervention programmes. This will be important to ensure the momentum gained in supporting victims of domestic and sexual violence throughout the pandemic continues to grow.As part of the implementation of Supporting a Victims Journey , we carried out a review of the supports and funding of civil society organisations providing frontline services to identify where gaps exist. At the end of last year, I announced an additional €445,000 in funding for 18 organisations to bridge the gaps identified. One outcome of this is that court accompaniment services will now be available to all victims regardless of their location.
Supporting a Victims Journey is a detailed roadmap for giving full effect to the O’Malley recommendations. It includes a commitment to provide for preliminary trial hearings and the recently enacted Criminal Procedure Act delivers on that commitment. This legislation introduces key changes to how questioning on prior sexual history will unfold at trial. Other than in exceptional circumstances, the Act requires an application to question a victim on their prior sexual history to be made at a preliminary trial hearing, before the commencement of the trial. This will be of great help to victims in removing uncertainty around what they may face.
The implementation of Supporting a Victim's Journey will also ensure the victim's right to have the same legal representation at the preliminary trial hearing and during the trial itself if an application to question them about prior sexual history is made at the preliminary trial hearing and is granted. In such a case, the recommendations also require the Legal Aid Board to endeavour to ensure that the victim is represented by counsel of a level of seniority similar to counsel representing the prosecution and defence.
The victim will also be entitled to their own, dedicated legal advice and support throughout the process (not just during the court case) and will be entitled to legal aid for this purpose.
Under Budget 2022, I have secured an additional €1.1m to be used to begin putting in place a legal advice and legal aid service in court for victims of sexual violence. My Department will examine any recommendations or applications that are submitted when the work being led by the Rape Crisis Network is complete, in particular what the rationale may be for discontinuing the existing volunteer-led service and whether this idea commands support across the sector.
