Speech by Minister Jim O'Callaghan at the Launch of the DRCC 2025 Annual Report

**Check Against Delivery**

19 May 2026

I want to thank Rachel, Anne Marie (James - Chair) and the entire team at Dublin Rape Crisis Centre for inviting me to be part of your 2025 Annual Report launch.

I also want to acknowledge the unwavering commitment of the staff and volunteers of DRCC who are supporting those impacted by sexual violence.

Your professionalism, compassion and advocacy continue to make an enormous difference in people’s lives.

Your work is difficult and challenging and while it often may go unseen, I can assure you it does not go unnoticed by me or this government.

Before I focus on some of the Report’s findings from last year, I am aware 2026 is a year of new beginnings for DRCC.

You have spent recent months preparing for a new chapter - a move to Equity House, your new premises on Ormond Quay.

That move represents much more than a new postcode.

It is about growth, resilience, and a commitment to providing victims and survivors with a more accessible, modern and purpose-built environment in which they can avail of support and safety.

A new building, however, does not lessen the scale of your work. If anything, as we note in your 2025 annual report, the demand for DRCC’s services has never been greater.

2025 Annual Report

The publication of the DRCC Annual Report for 2025 allows us to reflect and to reaffirm our collective determination to tackle the profound harm caused by sexual violence.

The information contained in the report while instructive is also stark.

I note your national helpline was contacted almost 24,000 times - the highest figure ever recorded and represents a 5.5% increase on 2024 numbers.

It’s worth pausing and reflecting on that figure for a moment.

Behind each call is a person often in fear, distress and confused, looking for support and a friendly voice.

DRCC provides that and so much more.

I believe the increase in contacts reflects a growing awareness and appreciation of the service that you provide.

For many survivors of sexual abuse, their contact with the DRCC helpline is their first step in seeking help and, often, the first time they have told anyone what has happened to them.

Some of the increases highlighted today are due to more victims trusting they will be heard and believed when they do come forward.

This trust is hard-earned and organisations such as the DRCC are fundamental to building and sustaining it.

The report also tells us that almost one-third of callers were contacting DRCC for the very first time. Again, this is significant.

For many victims and survivors, that first call is also the first time they have ever spoken about what happened to them to anyone, a step that, as you are all aware, takes enormous courage.

The Report states 416 callers disclosed suicidal thoughts, while 132 people were identified as being at immediate risk of suicide.

This again highlights the devastation and long-lasting impact of sexual violence.

It is instructive to note that DRCC provided more than 7,200 therapy appointments to more than 830 clients last year, a 23% increase on the previous year.

This is a significant service that DRCC provides. I am aware these sessions are invaluable for victims and survivors as they attempt to recover and heal from their experiences.

Zero Tolerance

To really achieve a society where there is zero tolerance of sexual violence and the toxic attitudes that fuel it we must address the root causes of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. We need to implement evidence-based strategies that dismantle systemic inequalities and harmful cultural norms to effectively combat misogyny and harmful myths.

2026 marks an important transition point in respect of our national response to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

The ‘Zero Tolerance’ Third National Strategy is approaching the end of its lifespan.

Since its introduction, it has driven substantial progress taking a whole-of-government approach across the four pillars of prevention, protection, prosecution and policy coordination.

Last June, I launched the final implementation plan for the Strategy, which contains 95 specific actions designed to accelerate delivery and ensure meaningful outcomes across Government and wider society.

In March I published the 2025 progress report which highlighted the significant advances made.

Work is now underway on the development of the fourth national zero tolerance strategy.

This next strategy will be survivor informed and build on the achievements and actions, priorities and learnings from the third zero tolerance Strategy.

It will drive the societal and cultural change required to challenge the unacceptable attitudes and behaviours that enable abuse and violence.

EU Level

At European level, political agreement has been reached on the revised EU Victims’ Rights Directive to strengthen protections and supports for victims across the European Union.

Ireland has actively participated in those negotiations.

The revised Directive includes enhanced provisions relating to access to information, support services, legal aid, reporting mechanisms, privacy protections, and support during court proceedings.

Once formally adopted, my officials will undertake a full review of our legislation and policies as part of the transposition process to ensure Ireland continues to meet the highest standards in supporting victims of crime.

As you know work is underway to transpose the ‘EU Directive on Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence’ ahead of next year’s deadline.

This is a hugely important body of work that will standardise measures across member states in respect of criminal offences, policy, data collection and coordination.

Ireland is ahead of most countries in respect of the key obligations that the Directive imposes.

However, there are new and emerging threats that cross national boundaries.

These include the rise of technology-facilitated forms of abuse and the pervasiveness of violent and extreme pornography.

These threats are evolving at such pace that they require a coordinated response throughout the EU.

I intend to use the opportunity of Ireland’s Presidency to seek consensus across Member States and the European Commission on the need for concerted, collective and evidence-based response to these threats; particularly in addressing the harmful effects of pornography.

I have included tackling violent and extreme pornography as a specific topic on the agenda for Justice and Home Affairs Ministers at the Informal Ministerial meeting in Dublin in July.

I intend to use that platform constructively and ambitiously.

Counselling Notes

Finally, I want to address the use of counselling notes in sexual offences trials.

I know this remains an area of profound concern for victims, survivors, advocacy groups and of course for the DRCC.

Rachel and her team have been engaging with my officials and with me in advocating for necessary reform.

Firstly, let me say it is imperative that victims and survivors avail of all therapeutic supports should they need to.

I want you to know that ensuring victims and survivors feel safer in accessing counselling has been at the forefront of the reforms in this area.

I am aware, because victims and survivors have told me, just how distressing and traumatic disclosure of these types of records can cause during trials.

It is for this reason that I am absolutely committed to restricting such disclosure to the greatest extent possible, while also respecting constitutional requirements around fair trial rights.

I want you to know that the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill represents a significant strengthening of the existing framework.

The legislation removes the current waiver provision and ensures that judicial oversight will apply in every case involving disclosure applications.

Further amendments are also being introduced to establish a presumption of non-disclosure, to clearly set out in legislation that the default position is that counselling records are not to be disclosed, except when disclosure is absolutely necessary in the interest of justice and a fair trial.

In addition, I will be introducing amendments to ensure baseless disclosure applications - the so-called “phishing expeditions” - are dismissed at an early stage of the procedure, and to strengthen protections around other highly sensitive personal records.

My intention is clear - disclosure of counselling notes or other sensitive records should only occur where absolutely necessary, subject to rigorous judicial scrutiny, and with survivors’ rights and dignity fully protected.

This is about achieving a better balance between competing constitutional rights while ensuring that victims are not unnecessarily retraumatised by the justice process itself.

Conclusion

As we launch DRCC’s 2025 Annual Report today, we do so in the context of challenge, but also progress.

We mark a new home for the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, progress in legislative reform, expanded and improved services, and unprecedented funding to the sector.

We have an important opportunity for a renewed national determination to confront sexual violence, and, most importantly, to help victims and survivors who take the brave first step toward support and recovery.

That is ultimately what today is about.

Thank you.