Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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615. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which a victim access the victims support unit through probation services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37147/25]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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616. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which a victim engages with restorative justice, and who are the State providers of an easy accessed and supportive service to traumatised victims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37148/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 615 and 616 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, restorative justice is a criminal justice process which has been shown, through mediation, to help victims recover from crime, reduce re-offending and save public resources. It is one of a suite of measures available to the criminal justice system.

It is delivered by the Probation Service both pre- and post-sentence; by An Garda Síochána within the Garda Youth Diversion Programme, and by Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) that receive referrals at specific points in the criminal justice process.

Restorative justice processes are available to victims of crime in this country in accordance with s.26 of the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017. The Probation Service Restorative Justice and Victims Services Unit (RJVSU), was established in 2018 to provide support and training to Probation teams across the country. It is the single point of contact for all victims who contact the Probation Service. This service provides support and information to victims upon request. If further assistance is needed/requested, the unit will refer the person on to the appropriate service.

Best practice dictates that all restorative justice processes are victim-led; it is up to the victim whether they wish to proceed with a restorative justice process. To be part of a restorative justice process an offender must acknowledge the basic facts of the offence committed and give their consent.

The Probation Service have assured me that restorative justice processes will only proceed where it is deemed safe to do so. This decision is informed by the application of relevant risk assessments. It is also important to emphasise that all parties have the right to withdraw their permission and consent to participate in the process at any stage.

The Probation Service's Restorative Justice and Victim Services Unit welcome contact via the following: by phone at 01-817 3600 and by email at: restorative@probation.ie or vsu@probation.ie. This Unit is a national resource within the Probation Service. It is dedicated to handling inquiries and requests related to restorative justice and victim services.

In Budget 2025, the Probation Service received an additional €4 million, bringing the total budget to over €60m. Probation Service staffing and operational costs, an expansion of crime diversion programmes, further support for step down facilities and community-based alternatives to imprisonment, including restorative justice, are all funded.

The Probation Service recently published a three-year Action Plan 2025-27, ‘Restoring Relationships: Repairing Harm and Empowering Voice through Restorative Justice’. This sets out an objective to increase Restorative Justice referrals and interventions by 10% each year of the Action Plan.

Supporting all victims of crime is a priority for me as Minister for Justice.

In 2025, €3.9 million was allocated to support the work of organisations that help victims of crime. This investment reflects the ongoing commitment by Government to ensuring that victims receive the help they need - not only at the point of reporting a crime, but at every stage of the criminal justice process. This funding enables the provision of services supporting victims at different stages of the criminal justice system, and includes the provision of emotional and practical support, information and advice on the rights of victims; court accompaniment services; specialised counselling services; helplines and accompaniment to Garda interviews for those who have experienced such traumatic incidents.

Additionally, the 'Victims of Crime – Know Your Rights' campaign was launched in April of 2023. The campaign directs people to the VictimsCharter.ie website, which sets out victim's rights in an easily accessible manner and helps victims of crime to locate services and supports offered by the State as well as voluntary groups who work with victims of crime.