Certain victims should be entitled to special Garda measures — such as specially trained interviewers — as a legal right and not at the discretion of the gardaí, the State’s human rights ombudsman has said.

The Victims of Crime Bill, which is going through the Dáil this week, is not before time but the section on restorative justice needs to be strengthened to ensure that victims of traumatic violence like sex crimes are not forced to meet with their attacker.

There's been a broad welcome for measures contained in the Victims of Crime Bill.