Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 13 November 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Discussion

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Counihan, Mr. Purcell and Ms Breathnach for coming in and for their contributions and written submissions, which I found very helpful. I also thank the Chairman and the members of the committee for their contributions.

We have learned much from this morning. As Ms Caroline Counihan indicated, the fact section 17 only applies during the course of an investigation excludes many complainants. When one looks at it from the point of view of legal aid for the accused, it starts at the beginning for the accused when brought before court for the first time. For the complainant, the beginning is earlier than that. It is from the date of the offence. We will all have to put our heads together to think how we can draft it in such a way to ensure those events preceding the investigation can be the trigger point for the complainant to receive this aid.

I thank everyone and the committee will produce a report. Hopefully, we will get this enacted before the Dáil finishes, contrary to what Deputy Jack Chambers said that we are inching towards the end.

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