Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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110. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will report on the victim support at court, or V-SAC service, which is funded and supported by his Department; the plans to extend the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38101/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I am determined to do everything in my power to ensure that the criminal justice system empowers victims by providing the support, information, and respect they deserve throughout what can be a challenging and difficult journey.

Victim Support at Court (V-SAC) is a longstanding partner organisation of my Department and a cornerstone service that provides essential emotional and practical support to victims of crime, their families, and witnesses throughout the court process.

I am pleased to confirm that V-SAC has now achieved full national coverage; this milestone was marked with the opening of its Cork office in September last year. This expansion means that trained volunteers are now able to offer their assistance nationwide.

This achievement has been supported through ongoing commitment and funding from my Department. In March 2025, I announced an allocation of almost €4 million to specialised victims’ support organisations, including €581,000 to V-SAC. This funding ensures that comprehensive services – ranging from emotional and practical support, information, and advice on the rights of victims, court accompaniment services, specialised counselling services, helplines and accompaniment to Garda interviews – are available to victims at all stages of the criminal justice system.

The funding allocated to V-SAC in 2025 represented an 11% increase on 2024 levels to support the recruitment and training of new volunteers to meet increased demands for its service, the expansion into Munster and an anticipated rise in cases being heard outside of Dublin.