Minister McEntee announces €7.7 million in funding for organisations supporting victims of crime
- Foilsithe: 11 Eanáir 2024
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 12 Aibreán 2025
The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has announced funding totalling more than €7.7 million for some 70 organisation to support victims of crime.
Many of the allocations will be made through the new agency for domestic, sexual and gender based violence Cuan, which was recently opened by the Minister, and they will range from €3,000 to over €1 million.
The funding covers:
- national and larger organisations such as Dublin Rape Crisis Network, Women’s Aid, Men’s Aid, and Safe Ireland
- local organisations across the country working with victims such as Sonas Domestic Violence Charity, Adapt Limerick, and Donegal Women’s Centre
- general victims support organisations including Victim Support at Court
- specialist organisations including Ruhama and Accompaniment Support Services for Children
Announcing the funding, Minister McEntee said:
“Victims of crime need supports and services of a high standard, right across the country, and this increased funding, which I secured in the Budget, will ensure that they get that.
"I am delighted too that our new agency Cuan, will be allocating much of the funding to the various organisations. Its establishment, as well as initiatives such as ‘Supporting a Victim’s Journey’ demonstrates just how committed we are, to building a victim-centred criminal justice system.
"We also recognise of course that inflation can be an issue, so where organisations sought an increase on last year’s funding, they have been granted, at a minimum, a 3pc cost-of-living increase.”
Welcoming the announcement, Minister of State at the Department of Justice James Browne added:
“It is essential that we demonstrate respect and understanding for each victim’s unique experience. The shock, trauma, and even feelings of guilt, can be extremely heavy burdens for victims of crime to carry, but the additional supports we are announcing today will further reinforce the range of supports and services available to them.
“The ‘Supporting a Victim’s Journey’ initiative prioritises the needs and experience of the victim and the government is committed to continue other victim-centred programmes, including our Victims’ Forum. It provides an important platform for many of the organisations working in this area to share their learnings from supporting victims of crime in order to help us tailor the funding and policy decisions necessary to strengthen how victims and survivors are treated.”
Last September, the Department of Justice invited applications for 2024 Victims of Crime funding from registered charities, voluntary community groups, and other organisations which provide services – or plan to provide services – supporting victims in the criminal justice system.
Applicants for the call included organisations that provide support, information and advice on the rights of victims, outreach work, court accompaniment and crime victim helplines.
Funding is given to organisations that meet the objectives and that can show they have the required management and compliance policies and procedures in place.
A wide range of organisations are being funded, providing both general and specialist services to victims of crime.
Minister McEntee added:
“We know that the needs of victims of crime can differ depending on their individual circumstances and tailoring supports to meet those individual needs is the most effective approach.
"I am pleased that we have been able to provide increased funding to the Irish Tourist Assistance Service to continue supporting visitors nationwide who experience a crime or trauma in Ireland and to enable them to provide a frontline service from the recently opened O’Connell Street Garda Station.
"We have also allocated additional funding to Victim Support at Court (V-SAC), who provide a free of charge court accompaniment service for victims irrespective of the type of crime, to expand their remit into additional Court locations.”
The Department of Justice currently funds a number of NGOs that provide supports for victims of crime on a multi-annual basis. These agreements aim to assist the organisations with their long-term planning and cash flow, and to ensure more effective and efficient use of funding.
A number of organisations, including some new Victims of Crime funding applicants, will have their applications for the expansion of their services, considered by officials in Cuan and in the department in the coming months. The majority of these organisations will receive an allocation in line with last year’s grant plus a minimum 3pc funding increase, and it is only the additional funding requests that fall to be examined in the new year.
Under Budget 2024, the Department of Justice was also allocated €6.85 million for measures to tackle DSGBV, including through awareness raising and campaigns and funding for perpetrator programmes.
Funding for perpetrator programmes will move to Cuan, which will examine any plans for expansion.