Funding for rape crisis service and helpline cut

THE country’s largest support service for rape victims has had its funding cut because of Government cutbacks.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC), which runs a 24-hour national helpline, has lost 1% of the Health Service Executive (HSE) grant to help cover its services for the remainder of this year.

Notification of the loss was only received by the DRCC at the end of June, although the cut came into effect at the start of July.