Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 May 2023
39. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Justice if he will provide an update on the support to victims of crime now being provided, including an assessment of the numbers benefitting from supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25191/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is leading a number of important initiatives to ensure we better support all victims of crime.
When a victim engages with the justice system, they should know what to expect, be confident they will be treated respectfully and sensitively, know what their legally enforceable rights are and what supports are available at every step in the process.
Central to this is 'Supporting a Victim's Journey' - our plan to implement the recommendations of the O'Malley Review. It is introducing important reforms to support and protect vulnerable victims and ensure our criminal justice system is more victim-centred.
A number of key actions have already been delivered, including:
• The establishment of a course in University of Limerick to train intermediaries;
• Legislating for preliminary trial hearings;
• Undertaking a mapping exercise to identify gaps in services and supports provided for victims, both geographically and by service type, and the provision of increased funding to address them; and
• The first cohort of staff at a new sexual offences unit in the Director of Public Prosecutions took up their roles.
To further support victims, I am currently progressing legislative provisions which will;
• Strengthen the law on consent,
• Extend victim anonymity to further categories of victims,
• Repeal provisions for sentences to be delivered in public, and
• Make provision for legal representation for victims in certain cases.
Zero Tolerance, the Government’s Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV), builds on the important reforms already introduced under Supporting a Victims Journey.A key part of implementation of this ambitious whole of Government Strategy will be the establishment next year of the new Agency, which will ensure a permanent and dedicated focus on this important area of work.
Funding is provided by my Department to NGOs that support victims of crime through services such as emotional support, court accompaniment, and accompaniment to Garda interviews, to sexual assault treatment units and referral to other services. This year, an increased budget of €5.8 million is being made available.We are also running a campaign to raise awareness of the rights provided in the Victims of Crime Act 2017 and in the Victims Charter, and last month we launched a new phase on TV and radio, with a particular emphasis on reaching minority and harder-to-reach communities.
In addition, my Department has established a Victim’s Forum for state, social and community groups to discuss how best we can work together to meet the needs of victims.
Details of the funding provided in 2022 to organisations that support victims of crime, and details of funding committed for 2023, are provided in the table below.
|
Victims of crime funding including sexual crimes and domestic abuse |
2023Allocations |
Amount funded as at 30/04/23 |
2022 Funded |
|
ASSC |
€363,950.00 |
€225,600.00 |
€268,018.00 |
|
Barnardos |
€108,150.00 |
€86,520.00 |
€103,000.00 |
|
AdVic |
€109,500.00 |
€87,600.00 |
€65,000.00 |
|
Beacon of Light Counselling Centre |
€21,000.00 |
€16,800.00 |
€20,000.00 |
|
Connect Family Resource Centre |
€11,000.00 |
||
|
Dundalk Counselling Service |
€32,802.00 |
€26,241.60 |
€31,240.00 |
|
Greystones Family Resource Centre |
€10,000.00 |
€8,000.00 |
€10,000.00 |
|
Hope Trust |
€3,000.00 |
€2,400.00 |
€2,000.00 |
|
Donegal Women's Centre - Letterkenny |
€15,876.00 |
€12,700.80 |
€15,120.00 |
|
Living Life Voluntary Counselling Centre |
€15,000.00 |
€12,000.00 |
€15,000.00 |
|
Newpark Close Community Development Limited |
€37,000.00 |
€29,600.00 |
€35,000.00 |
|
Accessible Counselling Tullamore |
€21,000.00 |
€16,800.00 |
€20,000.00 |
|
Bagenalstown Family Resource Centre |
€27,300.00 |
€21,840.00 |
€21,280.00 |
|
Samaritans of Kilkenny and Carlow |
€20,750.00 |
||
|
Adapt Domestic Abuse Services (Limerick) |
€125,000.00 |
€100,000.00 |
€80,000.00 |
|
AkiDwA |
€89,000.00 |
€77,000.00 |
€29,000.00 |
|
Amal Women's Association |
€61,840.00 |
€49,472.00 |
€59,700.00 |
|
Mens Aid |
€70,000.00 |
€56,000.00 |
€40,000.00 |
|
Aoibhneas |
€100,000.00 |
€80,000.00 |
€40,000.00 |
|
Ascend |
€21,000.00 |
€16,800.00 |
€20,000.00 |
|
Bray Women's Refuge |
€52,000.00 |
€41,600.00 |
€35,000.00 |
|
Carlow Women's Aid |
€31,500.00 |
€25,200.00 |
€30,000.00 |
|
Clare Haven Services |
€16,000.00 |
€12,800.00 |
€15,000.00 |
|
Cope Galway Waterside House |
€25,000.00 |
€25,000.00 |
€40,000.00 |
|
Cuan Saor Women's Refuge Ltd. |
€40,000.00 |
€32,000.00 |
€40,000.00 |
|
Cuanlee Womens Refuge |
€15,000.00 |
€12,000.00 |
|
|
Domestic Violence Advocacy Centre (Sligo) |
€31,500.00 |
€25,200.00 |
€24,000.00 |
|
Domestic Violence Response Galway |
€23,100.00 |
€18,480.00 |
€25,000.00 |
|
Donegal Women's Domestic Violence Service |
€22,050.00 |
€17,640.00 |
€21,000.00 |
|
Drogheda Women's Refuge and Children's Refuge Centre |
€41,750.00 |
€38,600.00 |
€3,000.00 |
|
Esker House Women's Refuge |
€99,208.00 |
€79,366.40 |
€42,786.00 |
|
Kerry Womens Refuge and Support Services (Adapt) |
€120,000.00 |
€96,000.00 |
€100,000.00 |
|
Amber Women's Refuge Ltd (Kilkenny) |
€50,000.00 |
€40,000.00 |
€47,744.11 |
|
Laois Domestic Abuse Service |
€42,500.00 |
€34,000.00 |
€42,500.00 |
|
Lifeline Inishowen |
€24,150.00 |
€19,320.00 |
€23,000.00 |
|
Longford Women's Link |
€47,250.00 |
€37,800.00 |
€45,000.00 |
|
Meath Women's Refuge |
€69,000.00 |
€55,200.00 |
€49,570.00 |
|
Mna Feasa Domestic Violence Project |
€27,500.00 |
€0.00 |
€27,500.00 |
|
Oasis House Women's Refuge |
€17,850.00 |
€14,280.00 |
€17,000.00 |
|
Offaly Domestic Violence Support Service |
€49,350.00 |
€39,480.00 |
€47,000.00 |
|
OSS Cork |
€17,000.00 |
€13,600.00 |
€5,500.00 |
|
Roscommon Safe Link |
€36,750.00 |
€29,400.00 |
€35,000.00 |
|
SAFE Ireland |
€100,234.73 |
€45,007.20 |
€53,580.00 |
|
Saoirse Housing Association |
€36,750.00 |
€29,400.00 |
€35,000.00 |
|
Tearmann Housing Association |
€37,000.00 |
€29,600.00 |
€35,000.00 |
|
West Cork Womens Project |
€15,750.00 |
€12,600.00 |
€17,000.00 |
|
Westmeath Support Service against Domestic Abuse |
€42,000.00 |
€33,600.00 |
€40,000.00 |
|
Wexford Women's Refuge |
€22,100.00 |
€17,680.00 |
€26,844.00 |
|
Women's Aid Dublin |
€370,000.00 |
€296,000.00 |
€297,867.88 |
|
Women's Aid Dundalk |
€31,500.00 |
€25,200.00 |
€34,000.00 |
|
Good Shepherd Cork |
€40,000.00 |
€32,000.00 |
€25,000.00 |
|
Crime Victims Helpline |
€157,500.00 |
€126,000.00 |
€150,000.00 |
|
Immigrant Council of Ireland |
€127,000.00 |
€101,600.00 |
€120,667.00 |
|
Irish Tourist Assistance Service |
€50,000.00 |
€40,000.00 |
€50,000.00 |
|
Le Cheile |
€13,500.00 |
€10,800.00 |
€10,800.00 |
|
Missing in Ireland Support Services |
€26,250.00 |
€21,000.00 |
€25,000.00 |
|
Support After Crime Services |
€165,000.00 |
€0.00 |
€165,000.00 |
|
Support After Homicide |
€40,000.00 |
€32,000.00 |
€43,111.00 |
|
Teach Tearmainn Housing Association |
€42,000.00 |
€33,000.00 |
€40,000.00 |
|
An Cosan |
€10,465.00 |
€8,372.00 |
€10,000.00 |
|
Victim Support at Court |
€203,000.00 |
€162,400.00 |
€180,000.00 |
|
Dignity 4 Patients |
€105,000.00 |
€84,000.00 |
€95,000.00 |
|
Dublin Rape Crisis Centre |
€315,000.00 |
€252,000.00 |
€300,000.00 |
|
One in Four |
€424,000.00 |
€288,800.00 |
€341,790.00 |
|
Rape Crisis Network |
€85,000.00 |
€68,000.00 |
€185,000.00 |
|
Sexual Violence Centre Cork |
€26,000.00 |
€20,800.00 |
€55,800.00 |
|
Wexford Rape Crisis |
€55,000.00 |
€54,267.20 |
€41,068.80 |
|
Ruhama |
€924,870.00 |
€739,896.00 |
€944,944.00 |
|
Migrant Rights Centre ireland |
€130,000.00 |
€104,000.00 |
€114,962.00 |
|
IOM Trafficking in Persons (TIP) |
€16,231.80 |
||
|
IOM Cultural Mediation Service Project II |
€267,903.53 |
Additional information
*Note that the 2023 allocation is subject to change due to compliancy factors and policy input.
