Written answers

Wednesday, 16 February 2005

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Victim Support

9:00 pm

Photo of Paul GogartyPaul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 112: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department has plans to reduce victims and victims' families alienation from the legal process regarding prosecution of criminal cases through a reform of that process. [5100/05]

Photo of Ciarán CuffeCiarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 202: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department has plans to reduce victims and victims' families alienation from the legal process regarding prosecution of criminal cases through a reform of that process. [5307/05]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 202 together.

In many European jurisdictions victims have the status of a party to the proceedings and there is a much closer relationship between the civil and the criminal law. This jurisdiction, however, has a common law system, where the victim is a witness to, but not directly a party in, criminal proceedings.

Provision for victims is made by a number of Government agencies as well as non-governmental organisations. The rights and entitlements of victims of crime in Ireland are set out in the victims charter, published by my Department in 1999, following extensive consultations with all relevant agencies including the courts, Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service, the probation and welfare service, the State Prosecution Service and the Victim Support organisation. Victim Support provides support to victims of crime and their families through a network of volunteers nationwide. My Department has provided funding for its administrative and staff costs amounting to €5.3 million in the five years up to the end of 2004.

The charter makes specific provision for particularly vulnerable victims such as victims of sexual offences, domestic violence, elderly victims, victims with disabilities, and children. It also contains specific provisions in relation to keeping victims informed of the outcome of their complaints, the progress of any criminal proceedings, and the outcome of these proceedings.

Similarly, procedures put in place by the Garda authorities in relation to the victims of crime, which are set out in the Garda charter for victims of crime, provide that the gardaí will inform victims, where a suspect is charged, of the time, date and location of the court hearing of the charges against the accused.

It is my intention to arrange for a review of the provisions of the victims charter in the near future, in order to ensure its continuing relevance and effectiveness in providing for crime victims. As well as administrative and other provisions, the review will critically examine the deployment of resources to ensure that they continue to deliver maximum effectiveness as well as value for money.

The review will also have regard to the EU framework decision of 15 March 2001 on the standing of victims in criminal proceedings, which sets out to harmonise the treatment of victims of crime across the EU, to ensure that Ireland continues to meet its commitments in that regard. I have no plans to change the law at present in relation to the legal process in criminal cases.

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