Victims advocates slam budget as ‘insult’

Mary McDermott, CEO of Safe Ireland, said that the extra €5m allocated in Budget 2022 for victims is to support all victims of crime, including the alarmingly high numbers of people suffering domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence.

Victims advocates have slammed the budget as “appalling” and “an insult to victims”.

Mary McDermott, CEO of Safe Ireland, said that the extra €5m allocated in Budget 2022 for victims is to support all victims of crime, including the alarmingly high numbers of people suffering domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence in Ireland.

“Domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence was correctly identified as a national priority since the outbreak of Covid. 

"In this context, it is appalling that there is no clear dedicated funding line for victims of domestic violence in this budget," Ms McDermott said.    

“The end result of this budget is that all vulnerable groups within Tusla’s remit have to compete with each other, and against Tusla’s organisational needs, for a very small increase.”   

“It has been clearly identified that the [domestic violence] infrastructure is outdated and under-resourced.    

“So it is bewildering that political and public policy-makers have ignored the epidemic of domestic violence, failed to take note of evidence of how to redress the problem, and have not acted to bring this infrastructure up to date.    

We’re looking for dedicated funding lines for domestic violence infrastructure, that properly supports frontline services who provide accommodation, court-accompaniment, therapeutic, welfare, and housing supports for women and for children in crisis.

“There’s no evidence of an increase in money for domestic violence. The only reference for it is to maintain services that have already been identified as seriously under-resourced."

Independent councillor Deirdre Donnelly slammed the budget as “an insult to victims”.

Ms Donnelly, who represents Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and went public earlier this year about her own difficult experience with the criminal justice system after she reported an alleged sexual and physical assault, said that psychological supports should have been extended to victims in the budget.

The budget provided an additional €2.4m for healthcare in prisons, including more than €1m for the Irish Prison Service to recruit more psychologists and mental health nurses to support vulnerable people in prisons.

“Whilst I realise that there are many vulnerable people in our prison system who need support, I am appalled that the sex offenders get treatment whereas the poor victim is left with nothing.

"I have spent thousands of euro on counselling and other medical expenses over the last three years and there is absolutely no support available."

Ms Donnelly also criticised the lack of any significant increase in funding for the DPP to speed up prosecutions.