Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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93. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the support in place for families of victims of homicide. [47402/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Funding for organisations that support and assist victims of crime generally is provided under the aegis of my Department. Among the services funded is a national help-line which is there to provide emotional support and information and where relevant to refer people to support services in their local area. Financial support is also provided for court accompaniment, accompaniment to sexual assault treatment units, accompaniment to police interviews, practical information about the criminal justice system, emotional support and in some cases subsidised counselling.

Two of the organisations funded, namely AdVIC (Advocates for Victims of Homicide) and Support after Homicide deal specifically with people whose lives have been affected by homicide. AdVIC advocates for victims of homicide as well as providing access to counselling with experienced counsellors who have additional training in homicide bereavement. Support after Homicide provides emotional support and practical assistance before, during and for an appropriate time after criminal proceedings. From 2005 to date AdVIC has been allocated a total of €216,500 and Support After Homicide has been allocated a total of €440,800 under the aegis of my Department.

Victim Support at Court provides court accompaniment to victims, including families of homicide victims, attending the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. From 2005 to date it has been allocated a total of €637,436, under the aegis of my Department, not all of which has been spent supporting families of victims of homicide.