Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

The other aspect of my contribution concerns allegations made by those who have gone through the system who were subject to heinous sexual assaults, whose perpetrators were jailed. Those victims have accused the legal system of not giving them the same equality in dealing with their case in terms of the provision of a book of evidence, counselling and all the other components of the architecture that was given to the defendant, who would have been given counselling, free legal aid and all the other apparatus required to defend oneself. Given the changes in the law and the fact that we are passing a law which will oblige the victim to come before the courts and be subject to cross-examination, there is a more acute need to ensure that every possible assistance is given.