Victims of crime should be compensated “without delay” and without having to wait for the outcome of any criminal or civil proceedings, a landmark new report has said. The Law Reform Commission said that a scheme dating back over 50 years to compensate victims of crime should be scrapped and replaced with a new victim-centered and rights-based approach to the suffering people endure because of violent crimes. The commission said that in cases where someone who has been convicted has the appropriate means to do so, they should pay compensation to their victims. “The bottom band for non-fatal cases, Category D, will contain a minimum threshold.”Furthermore, it said the scheme must provide “timely, fair and appropriate compensation” to victims, with the appropriate body given sufficient Government funds. The recommendations to Government come after extensive consultation with victims, experts, professional bodies, representative groups, advocacy bodies and Government departments, the Law Reform Commission added.

Source: Irish Examiner March 23, 2026 17:00 UTC