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

There are certain steps the Government can take that would make it easier for complainants. For instance, the Minister was recently on television with Leona O'Callaghan, a complainant and a victim of serious rape who deserves to be commended on coming out and speaking publicly about it. What she said was the most harrowing aspect of her time before the courts was the length of time it took for her case to come before the courts. She said it took four years. The State can deal with this factor. We can speed up the process of the investigation and indeed the prosecution of these offences.

We can better resource the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions so that files can be considered and decisions can be made more promptly. A complainant, and indeed an accused, should not have to wait for a number of years before a decision is made as to whether or not there will be a prosecution. A trial is a difficult process. We have to try to make it easier for complainants while not interfering with the fact that there is a presumption of innocence and that an individual can only be convicted of a criminal offence if it is proven beyond all reasonable doubt.

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