Ms Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop:

That is a very interesting question. I do not believe we can answer it until the longitudinal research that will allow us to make the comparison becomes available. We have research which shows that the reporting rates for sexual violence have certainly increased. However, there is still a large disconnect between actual reporting and getting cases to court. That is worrying. One of the reasons reporting rates have been increasing is that during the past 15 years we have been having an input into the education and training programme at the Garda training college in Templemore. This has had an immensely positive impact and has given rise to a sea change in terms of the attitude of gardaí when they meet victims. In turn, victims now feel more confident in reporting crimes to gardaí. This needs to become the case right across the criminal justice system.