THE GOVERNMENT HAS allocated more than €1.7m in funding for groups which support victims of crime.

The funding, which will be given to dozens of non-governmental organisations around the country next year, was administered by the victims of crime office at the Department of Justice.

A total of €1.712m in funding for 57 different organisations was announced by Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan today.

It will be allocated in conjunction with a programme of wider governmental reforms, which aim to support victims of crime across the criminal justice sector.

Commenting this afternoon, the minister said the funding was a key feature of the Department’s efforts to offer better support to victims of crime in Ireland during their time of need.

He also said that the help offered by organisations to victims of crime and their families provided a “hugely valuable and vital contribution” to Irish society.

“I warmly applaud all of the staff and volunteers in these services for their dedicated, professional and sensitive work in helping so many of our people during what is invariably a distressing and very often traumatic time in their lives,” he said.