Mr. Greg Heylin:

I should explain that rape crisis centres are voluntary sector organisations which are funded through a variety of State and other sources. They are provided through the voluntary sector. The main State funder is the Child and Family Agency, while it was previously done by the HSE. Rape counselling is available through those specialised services. They have been operational for a long time so they have much experience in that area.

The Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, protocol is that if someone has an experience of rape they need to report it to the Garda Síochána and that will be done, but support services will be made available through existing services. The RIA policy and guidelines were developed at the instigation of Akidwa but also of Ruhama and the domestic violence advocacy service in Sligo who were actual providers of services. Those are the ones that pressed RIA to have that service. That is the main way in which support is provided to people who have experienced rape in Ireland or, more particularly in the context of this committee, in war zones.

As regards those coming here from war zones, that is a matter for immigration policy. One of the main policies of the asylum seeking system is that one does not send someone back to a situation where they will be in danger. I am not an expert in that area and have not been fully briefed in it, but that is the fundamental principle.