Catherine Ardagh
Question:164. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Justice the measures he is taking to support victims of crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12741/25]
View answerThursday, 20 March 2025
Questions (164)
Written answers
Improving the experience of all victims engaging with the criminal justice system has been a priority for me since taking office. Under Budget 2025, €3,574,000 was allocated to support victims of crime.
Coming forward to report a crime can be a traumatic experience for victims and I am determined to do everything in my power to ensure that the criminal justice system empowers victims to have the confidence to report an offence, knowing they will be supported, informed, and treated respectfully for the entirety of the difficult journey they have to face. A significant amount of work has already been undertaken in this area, including through the implementation of ‘Supporting a Victims Journey ’, a detailed implementation plan to give effect to the recommendations made in the O'Malley Review, which was published in 2020.
Actions contained in the Programme for Government to better support victims include;
• Establishing specialised judges to handle domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence (DSGBV) cases and investing in training for Gardaí and the DPP to better support victims.
• Introducing an online facility for victims to obtain information on the status of their case.
• Undertaking an audit of our courthouses and facilities to assess their suitability for victims of DSGBV.
• Working with An Garda Síochána to ensure a person in an intimate relationship can be informed of a serious risk to them where a new partner has a history of domestic violence.
• Implementing the Human Trafficking Action Plan to identify and safeguard victims of human trafficking effectively through the introduction of a new National Referral Mechanism.
• Increasing funding allocated to Sexual Assault Treatment Units across the country.
Reforming our criminal justice system to make it more victim-centred is also a central focus of our Zero Tolerance Strategy for combatting DSGBV which builds on the reforms already introduced. The overarching purpose of the Strategy is to bring about changes in attitudes and in systems to ensure there is Zero Tolerance in our society for DSGBV and that all victims and survivors of these crimes have access to the highest standard of supports and services throughout the country.
The establishment of Cuan at the start of last year has ensured that there is a continued and coordinated focus on implementation of the strategy across Government, with Cuan bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social issue.
The 2024 Zero Tolerance implementation plan was launched last April. Key actions include increasing refuge spaces, empowering frontline professionals, reframing our understanding of ‘safe spaces’, creating a national services development plan and progressing legislative reform. Similar commitments will be progressed in the 2025/2026 implementation plan which Cuan will publish in the coming months.
Legislative provisions that have progressed include allowing for judges to set a recommended minimum period that should be served in prison in cases where a life sentence is handed down. This allows for the sentencing judge to recognise the harm done to an individual and to society in particularly heinous cases.
The Victims of Crime – Know Your Rights campaign was launched in April of 2023 in order to inform victims of what to expect, what their legal rights are and the supports available at every step in the process when they engage with the justice system. The campaign directs people to the VictimsCharter.ie website, which sets out an individual's rights in an easily accessible manner and helps victims of crime to locate services and supports.