Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 500: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to establish a statutory victims support agency and set up a victims council to formulate victim policy. [19328/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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My predecessor, Michael McDowell, appointed the Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime for a three-year period with effect from March 2005. The Commission was tasked with devising an appropriate support framework for victims into the future. In this regard, the Commission has over the past 3 years been in contact with the major stakeholders with a view to embodying their opinions in their Final Report. The Commission recently submitted its Framework Document — Recommendations for the Future Structure and Services for Victims of Crime. This Document is being considered within my Department with a view to developing the best possible structures for the support of victims of crime into the future and thereby honouring the commitment in the Programme for Government. I take this opportunity to thank the Members of the Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime for their invaluable work over the past three years.