Ivana Bacik (Independent)

While the Garda Síochána performs an important task in informing victims of the progress of investigations and the pre-trial process, this process is dependent on the goodwill of individual gardaí. I am aware of the charter but the difficulty with it, as Senator Regan noted, is that its terms are rather vague and somewhat aspirational. It does not impose a requirement that actions be taken to keep victims informed, particularly in cases of more serious crimes such as rape and murder which individual gardaí outside specialist units may not have encountered previously.

The establishment of specialist units has been highly beneficial in improving practice among gardaí in their dealings with victims of crime. Despite this, we still hear of problems, particularly in rural Garda stations where a complainant may make a serious complaint which the garda on duty has not dealt with previously. Statutory requirements in this area would give greater rights to complainants and victims and remove the onus on individual gardaí to provide the type of information victims require. To that extent, Senator Regan is correct.