Victims of crime organisations receive €5m funding boost

Simon Harris

The allocations range from €3,000 to €740,000 and span national, local and specialist organisations.

Victim Support at Court (V-SAC), the the only voluntary service in Ireland dedicated solely to court accompaniment for victims of crime, their families and witnesses, has been allocated €203,000, up from €180,000 in the previous year.

The Department of Justice will allocate a total of €5.8 million to support victims of crime in 2023, up from €4.6 million in 2022 and €1.7 million in 2019.

The Department funds a number of NGOs that provide supports for victims of crime on a multi-annual basis which will see an increase in funding of 7.9 per cent in 2023.

Justice minister Simon Harris said: “The work of so many organisations across the country that help victims of crime is outstanding, and I’m delighted to provide this funding to help ensure these services are available to all victims who need them, to a consistently high standard, and throughout the State.

“We recognise the significant difficulties faced by many through increased costs and inflation.

“Where organisations sought an increase on last year’s funding, they have been granted a five per cent cost-of-living increase, at a minimum.

“We are committed to building a victim-centred criminal justice system and, in general terms, this funding will increase the organisations’ ability to provide supports and services as victims engage.”

James Browne, minister of state at the Department of Justice, said: “I know that being the victim of a crime can be very traumatic and difficult, and we’re determined to ensure that the necessary range of supports and services to help is available.

“Prioritising the needs and experience of the victim is central to our ongoing work under ‘Supporting a Victim’s Journey’ and this funding is a significant element of that.

“We will also continue other victim-centred initiatives this year, including our Victims’ Forum which provides a space for many of the organisations we are funding — and other State actors — to articulate their views in order to help us all make real improvements in how victims and survivors are treated.”