Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Mullen for putting down this important topic. It gives me the opportunity to address the Seanad on victims' rights. I wish to reaffirm my commitment, which I have articulated on several occasions recently in other fora, to have the EU directive on victims' rights implemented in Ireland next year. This is a priority for me. It is an important directive which will have many implications for the criminal justice system and how victims are dealt with within the system.
The EU directive envisages a scenario whereby victims of crime are recognised and treated in a respectful, sensitive, tailored, professional and non-discriminatory manner in all contacts with victim support or restorative justice services or criminal justice agencies operating within the context of criminal proceedings. I imagine everyone will agree that this should be our objective. Work on the necessary legislation, the victims Bill, is proceeding in my Department and I have attended several meetings on the matter. It will go to the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality in the new year for initial scrutiny. Obviously, we must have it enacted by the due date of 16 November next year.
Side by side with the legislative process, criminal justice agencies are working on practices and procedures to ensure that the legislation is implemented in practice because that is the most important thing. All the agencies are aware that the EU directive is coming in. A new umbrella group of victims' rights organisations have come together and is working with the relevant criminal justice agencies.
A key element of the EU victims of crime directive is the requirement for policing services, in this case, An Garda Síochána, to offer a wide range of information to victims, without unnecessary delay, from the first contact with the police. Recently, An Garda Síochána has undertaken an initiative involving two victim liaison officers. This is being piloted in Waterford city and in Dublin. On foot of the outcome of this trial, An Garda Síochána has decided to establish similar offices in each Garda division to improve the flow of information to victims of crime. This is a welcome development which can be seen throughout the country now. Members of An Garda Síochána will be tasked with keeping victims informed on their rights and providing them with information generally.
The EU victims of crime directive requires a broad range of information on the progress of the investigation and any subsequent court proceedings to be made available on request to victims of crime. I understand one British police force has developed the TrackMyCrime.police.ukinitiative which is now being extended. Senator Mullen has set out the details. This is based on the track-my-parcel system available in commercial courier and parcel delivery companies. The TrackMyCrime system has an intuitive appeal especially since it is available online. As time goes by people are becoming far more familiar with using new technologies, such as e-mail, text, tracking systems, smart phones and apps, in their interactions with commercial enterprises. A suitable TrackMyCrime facility, with the requisite security features to protect privacy, seems like one of an array of tools which An Garda Síochána might usefully consider.

This seems like one of an array of tools which An Garda Síochána might usefully consider. That would be an implementation matter for An Garda Síochána and it is linked to the question of the technology and ICT systems that are available to it. There is significant work to be done in relation to that and I have a commitment to helping An Garda Síochána to upgrade its technology. I am certainly happy to ask the acting Garda Commissioner to examine the desirability and feasibility of a scheme of the kind mentioned. It would be linked to the level of technology currently available to An Garda Síochána, and that does need continuous improvement and upgrading.

I will ensure that the need for systems to support victims will be included in any upcoming allocations I may make in respect of Garda technology. I would hope that if any such system is introduced it would complement rather than replace the personal contact which is implicit in the new model of the Garda victim liaison officers system, which gardaí are developing. There are also other areas where I feel useful developments could take place in support of victims. For example, in recently launching the strategic review of penal policy, which I understand will be debated here in the Seanad, I indicated my intention to bring forward legislative proposals in Government to place the parole board on a statutory basis in the near future. I am also looking at victim representation on that board. The issue of strengthening victims' rights is a key consideration in the preparation of legislation to strengthen the laws on domestic and sexual violence which I consider critical, particularly in the context of my objective for Ireland to ratify the Istanbul Convention, which we are doing.

I thank Senator Mullen for tabling this important issue. It brings to the fore the whole question of victims' rights and how An Garda Síochána and other criminal justice agencies will respond to the EU directive at the operational level.