Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 68: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the report of the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, Rape and Justice in Ireland, which found that just 7% of rapes reported to the Garda resulted in convictions; his proposals to deal with this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13000/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As I indicated in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 5591/10 of 4 February, 2010, I am aware of the report on the study commissioned by Rape Crisis Network Ireland entitled Rape and Justice in Ireland. The study relates to attrition in rape cases, that is, the lack of progress on to completion of criminal cases and, more specifically, to the stages at which cases drop out from the criminal justice system, that is, from the initial report stage to the final stage of court proceedings. It should be noted that cases may not be progressed through the system due, for example, to insufficiency of evidence.

Earlier in the year Cosc - the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence - completed its priority work on the development of a National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence for the five-year period from 2010 to 2014. The national strategy was approved by Government on 9 February, 2010 and was published on 9 March, 2010. A particular action under the strategy relates to minimising attrition in domestic and sexual violence cases, where this is appropriate. The report to which the Deputy refers will, along with other pertinent research, inform work in relation to that action. The National Strategy can be downloaded from the Cosc website (www.cosc.ie).