Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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23. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of funding that has been allocated for victims of crime in 2022 and each of the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35720/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank Deputy O’Dowd for raising this matter and to assure him that protecting and supporting victims of crime is a key priority for me as Minister for Justice.

Earlier this year I announced substantially increased funding by my Department for organisations supporting victims of crime. Some €4.6 million has been allocated to more than 60 organisations providing supports and services across the country.

This funding will provide support, information and advice on the rights of victims, as well as counselling services, court accompaniment and other accompaniment.

The figure of €4.6 million is an increase of over 20pc on the previous total fund of €3.8 million which was made available in 2021.

It also builds on separate, additional funding announced last November following the mapping exercise under the ‘Supporting a Victim’s Journey’ plan for areas of the country or categories of victims not currently fully covered by support services for victims.

As part of that mapping, a number of organisations were identified where additional funding would allow them to provide further services and to increase the geographical spread of support to victims of crime.

The 2022 allocations cover national and larger organisations such as Barnardos, Women’s Aid and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre but also a range of local organisations working with victims across the country, including those in the Deputy’s Constituency, such as Women’s Aid Dundalk and Dundalk Counselling Service, both of which have seen substantial increases in their funding by my Department.

The roll out of this funding is in addition to my ongoing work to support vulnerable victims through the implementation of Supporting a Victims Journey and in the recently launched Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence.