NWCI responded to the appearance of Garda Síochana Analysis Unit at the Joint Oireachtas Committee

Published: Friday, April 13, 2018

NWCI responded to the appearance of members of the Garda Síochana Analysis Unit at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality hearing on the review of homicide cases.

Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland said:

“In the hearing, Lois West, the Deputy Head of the Garda Síochána Analysis Service and Senior Crime and Policing Analyst Laura Galligan, members of the Garda Analysis Unit gave evidence of difficulties they say they encountered when undertaking a review of domestic homicide cases within the State between 2007 and 2016. NWCI would like to thank both Laura Galligan and Lois West for bringing to light the issues they have uncovered during the review of homicide cases, and for the important work they carried out during what appears to have been a very challenging 15 months.”

Orla O’Connor continued,

“This homicide review was undertaken following a request by NWCI and Women’s Aid for a thorough investigation of domestic homicides by An Garda Síochána to then Tanáiste Frances Fitzgerald, T.D 2016. This review was urgently required to bring a greater understanding of the patterns of domestic homicide in Ireland and to enable the development of best practice responses to identify risks and achieve early intervention for women experiencing violence. The evidence given at the hearing significant concerns about inaccurate recording, particularly the fact that the Committee was told that the misclassification of some domestic crimes had left victims of abuse at risk of being attacked again.”

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