Almost 800 women and children received accommodation and support from a domestic violence service — on a single day last year.

The Director of Public Prosecutions is getting five additional staff — including two lawyers — to meet its obligations to victims under imminent new laws.

The new Policing Authority must have the power to investigate complaints from victims of crime as the Garda Ombudsman is “not fit for purpose”, an alliance of victims’ groups has said.

Crime victims will have the right to know when offenders are released from jail and seek a review of decisions taken by the DPP under new laws aimed at rebalancing the justice system.

An umbrella group of victims’ organisations has warned Ireland is to breach this November’s deadline for full implementation of an EU directive on the rights of victims of crime.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has firmly rejected criticisms of the process used by the Government to appoint Revenue boss Josephine Feehily as the chairwoman of the new Policing Authority.

Free bereavement counselling must be offered to victims of crime who suffer traumatic events, support groups have said.