Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if it is standard practice to inform victims of sexual offences of the various counselling services that are available to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11914/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that it is the policy of An Garda Síochána to make victims of sexual crime aware of all relevant crime victims’ services both statutory and voluntary in their local area, which may be of assistance to them and to provide victims with literature relating to those agencies. It is also the policy of An Garda Síochána that investigating Gardaí will refer all victims of crime, with their consent, to a crime victims' agency.

The Garda Síochána Victims Charter contains the following commitment to victims of sexual violence:

- "We will show special sensitivity in relation to sexual offences,

- We will provide a Garda of the same gender;

- We will provide a doctor of the same gender as far as possible when asked;

and

- We will give details about any local support organisations for victims of sexual offences."