Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

I will certainly bring this request to the attention of the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. I feel it is very important. Access to justice is a fundamental right, a cornerstone of our democracy and central to the rule of law. Nowhere is this more significant than in cases where victims of domestic violence need court support. This is exactly what the Senator is saying. As I mentioned earlier, the comprehensive set of recommendations contained in the civil legal aid review is being given careful consideration by the Minister and his Department. The Senator will be aware that a range of supports is available for people experiencing domestic abuse, including from An Garda Síochána, our Courts Service and our other specialist domestic violence services, many of which are funded through Cuan or by the DSGBV agencies.

In March, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, announced funding of almost €4 million for the organisations that support victims of crime, including those that provide information and services on the rights of victims, courts and other complementary services, specialised counselling services and helplines, and training initiatives.I have another page or two in my response, but I understand my time is up. I can assure the Senator that her concerns will certainly go back to the Minister and his Department. I thank her for raising this very serious issue.