Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan T.D. has formally launched a new book analysing sentencing in cases of serious sexual offences which explores the factors that influence the decision-making of judges.  The research was carried out by Dr Diarmuid Griffin, a lecturer in criminology and criminal law at University of Galway’s School of Law and published by Policy Press - Sentencing Serious Sex Offenders – How Judges Decide When Discretion is Wide.  The book uses more than 100 court cases in Ireland from 1985 to 2022, and examines sentencing resulting in 15 years' imprisonment up to, and including, life imprisonment in sexual offences cases. The research explores the factors that influence judges to impose a sentence of long-term imprisonment in serious sexual offence cases.  Judges have made it clear that sentences of 15 years to life imprisonment are to be reserved for offending that is “truly egregious”. Minster for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan T.D. said: ‘’Dr Griffin has produced very important data and analysis of sentencing patterns in relation to sexual offences, at the upper end. This research provides policy makers with a solid basis to develop policy into the future. Of particular note are Dr Griffin’s findings that show a significant level of consistency in sentencing which can be attributed, at least in part, to the fact that a relatively small number of judges deal with the most serious sexual offences in the Central Criminal Court. This is an important finding which challenges the narrative of inconsistency in sentencing, at least in relation to these offences, and shows the value of the experience gained over many years dealing with a particularly challenging category of offences. I am very pleased to launch ‘Sentencing Serious Sex Offenders: How Judges Decide when Discretion is Wide’ and I welcome its publication.”  Dr Griffin said: “How and why judges decide to impose a particular sentence in an individual case has become a topic of intense public interest but there are few studies examining sentencing decision-making. This book provides an opportunity to broaden and deepen the discourse on sentencing.” In their sentencing remarks, many judges stated that cases involving sentences of 15 years to life were the “most difficult” and “most horrendous” of their time on the bench, including one who described the offending as “the most grievous sexual assault I have ever come across in my career”. Dr Griffin said: “These cases are exceptional in nature and judges pointed to the challenges that they present at sentencing. In particular, judges emphasised the severity of the consequences arising from the offending, resulting in victims being ‘severely traumatised’ and ‘seriously scarred’.  “It is important to note that the findings set out in the analysis are indicative of the factors influencing a sentence of 15-years to life imprisonment and are therefore not necessarily reflective of patterns in sexual violence at a general level.”  Dr Griffin’s data analysis indicates that there appears to be a broad consensus across decision-makers regarding the level of conduct, culpability and harm warranting a sentence in the top range.  Some of the key factors that emerged from the analysis included: In almost all cases the defendant had been convicted of multiple offences (94 per cent). The volume of offending being dealt with at each sentencing hearing was the most significant factor that emerged. Half of all cases involved multiple victims of sexual violence and almost two thirds involved multiple incidents (63 per cent). The sentence imposed in these cases should be viewed as a reflection of the volume of offending in the case as a whole rather than a single sentence for a single crime. Cases involving crimes committed against adult victims Of the 108 cases examined, 45 involved crimes committed against adult victims. The perpetrators were all men. All of the victims of sexual violence were women, and most were victimised in early adulthood. These offences were frequently committed in a public place and referred to by judges as a “random attack”. More than half of the cases involved serious levels of violence, including the use of weapons or the threat of their use (58%) and death threats (51%). Sentencing judges viewed these factors as significantly increasing the culpability of the defendant. In cases resulting in 15 years to life imprisonment, 65% of victims were attacked by a stranger and 18% by someone they met within 24 hours. This is in contrast with data on the experience of sexual violence in Ireland which indicates that the majority of adult victims knew the perpetrator, and this was often a partner, former partner, friend or acquaintance. Dr Griffin said: “It may be that ‘stranger rape’ cases are reaching the sentencing courts on a more frequent basis than other relationship-based sexual violence and this may partly explain their prevalence in this study. It is also possible that when deliberating on sentencing outcomes, judges may be perceiving ‘stranger rape’ as being more serious and harmful. “The level of harm caused to victims in all cases was referenced as critically important by sentencing judges, who referenced the physical and psychological impact of the offending and recognised the long-term effects of this type of victimisation.  At a broader level, factors more directly related to the defendant were of significance in influencing sentencing outcomes, including: Of most importance was the previous criminal history of the offender, which was referenced by judges in two thirds of cases (67%). Three out of five of those with a previous criminal history had been convicted of sexual offences. Judges made reference to concerns in relation to the risk of reoffending in just over half of all cases (51%). These offenders were described as a ‘grave threat’ to the public. Aside from the entering of a guilty plea (56% of cases) the level of mitigation was limited.  Cases involving crimes of child sexual abuse  The analysis also looked at 63 cases of child sexual abuse, where judges were tasked with addressing the breadth, depth and depravity of offending at the sentencing hearing. While there were 63 defendants, these cases included a total of 159 victims of sexual violence. In over two thirds of these cases, victimisation began when the child or children were aged 10 or younger. There was more diversity in terms of the gender of victims of child sexual abuse when compared to cases involving adult victims - two thirds of the victims being female and a third male. All of the perpetrators were male. Multiple offences were committed in all cases and all cases included additional sexual offences. In some cases, the volume of offences committed was staggering, with one in six cases involving 50 offences or more. A highly significant aggravating factor in these cases was that the perpetrator abused a position of trust or misused a dominant position within a family. The perpetrator was either a father or step-father to the victim(s) in 45% of instances. Outside of this, in almost all cases there was some form of relationship with the child or the family members of the child, and the perpetrator breached that trust in the relationship. Judges emphasised the severity of the consequences arising from the offending, resulting in victims being “severely traumatised”. Aggravating factors relating to the level and extent of violence perpetrated against the victim(s) were identified by judges including, for example: special violence; additional and gratuitous sexual perversions; the use of death threats; and the use of implements of violence. Similar to cases involving adult victims, a guilty plea was the most prevalent mitigating factor (70% of cases). A victim impact statement was identified in 78% of cases.   Dr Griffin said: A previous criminal history was less prevalent than in cases involving adult victims (32% of cases). However, given the volume of offending, the number of victims and the prolonged and sustained nature of the abuse, it is more accurate to state that the offending did not come to the attention of the authorities at the time it was committed and, as a result, it was all being dealt with at the same sentencing hearing. Dr Griffin said: The sexual offence cases that are the focus of this study are almost exclusively dealt with by a small group of judges that sit at the Central Criminal Court. In fact, sexual offences make up the majority of these judges’ sentencing workload. The small number of judges responsible for sentencing in these cases is an important component in shedding light on the consistency evident in sentencing approaches and outcomes. Ends

Cuireann an Institiúid Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche na milliúin euro i bhfoirm maoinithe ar fáil d’Ollscoil na Gaillimhe chun cúram agus torthaí othair a chur chun cinn  Sheol an tAire Sláinte, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill T.D., infheistíocht charthanach mhaoinithe de chuid na hInstitiúide Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche (NBCRI), arbh fhiú €4 mhilliún é, chun tabhairt faoi thaighde in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe ar fhorbairtí a d’fhéadfadh saol na n-othar a athrú chun feabhais ó thaobh cúraim agus torthaí de.   Déanfaidh infheistíocht na hInstitiúide Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche éascaíocht do thaighde feabhsaithe agus do dhiagnóisic a rachaidh chun tairbhe othar, agus san áireamh leis sin beidh íomháú digiteach nach bhfuil fáil air in Éirinn faoi láthair, leathnú trialacha cliniciúla agus tuilleadh comhoibrithe idirnáisiúnta i dtaobh samplaí cliniciúla a anailísiú.     Tá an maoiniú carthanach seo, arbh fhiú na milliúin euro é, á chur ar fáil mar chuid de Chomhpháirtíocht Shainiúil idir an NCBRI agus an Ollscoil, agus beidh poist ríthábhachtacha nua, idir acadúil agus taighde, mar thoradh air.   Tá an daonchairdiúlacht seo, agus an chomhpháirtíocht atá taobh thiar di, bunaithe ar na caidrimh sheanbhunaithe idir an dá eagraíocht ar cuireadh tús leo os cionn tríocha bliain ó shin, agus fócas ar leith acu le 15 bliana anuas ar thaighde eolaíoch agus cliniciúil a chumasú.   Síníodh an Chomhpháirtíocht Shainiúil go hoifigiúil agus seoladh go foirmeálta í ag ócáid a reáchtáladh in Institiúid Lambe don Taighde Aistritheach de chuid na hOllscoile.    Seo mar a labhair an tAire Sláinte, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, T.D.: “Tá an-áthas orm an chomhpháirtíocht thábhachtach seo idir an Institiúid Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche (NCBRI) agus Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a sheoladh. Ní hamháin go gcuirfidh an infheistíocht €4 mhilliún seo i dtaighde ailse chíche le cúram agus torthaí othar, ach réiteoidh sé an bealach d’fhionnachtana ceannródaíocha i dtaighde agus i ndiagnóisic. Ceann de na hailsí is coitianta is ea ailse chíche agus déantar bean amháin as gach seachtar in Éirinn a dhiagnóisiú leis an ngalar seo i gcaitheamh a saoil. Céim mhór chun tosaigh is ea fógra an lae inniu maidir le tacú le mná a bhfuil an galar seo ag gabháil dóibh.”   Dúirt Uachtarán Eatramhach Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, an tOllamh Peter McHugh: “Cuireann Ollscoil na Gaillimhe fáilte roimh an maoiniú seo atá curtha ar fáil ag an NCBRI agus roimh an athrú suntasach chun feabhais a bheidh mar thoradh ar an gcomhoibriú fadtéarmach agus feidhmeach seo ar an taighde ailse chíche. Tá ár gcomhpháirtíocht ar an bhfód le fada an lá agus níl aon amhras orainn ach go ndéanfaidh an infheistíocht dhaonchairdiúil fhlaithiúil seo difear suntasach dóibh siúd a bhfuil ailse orthu, agus go mbeidh tionchar níos leithne ag an Ollscoil mar institiúid diantaighde a bhfuil fréamhacha sa phobal aici agus í tiomanta do leas an phobail.”    Tá ról lárnach á chomhlíonadh le fada ag an Institiúid Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche (NBCRI), ar carthanas náisiúnta é, i bhforbairt na gclinicí scagthástála cíche agus siomptómacha a chur chun cinn in Ospidéal na hOllscoile, Gaillimh agus i bhforbairt buntaighde agus taighde chliniciúil ar ailse chíche in Institiúid Lambe in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe.    Tacóidh infheistíocht mhaoinithe an NBCRI leis na réimsí taighde seo a leanas:     Taighde aistritheach ar ailse chíche de chuid Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, ailse chíche mheiteastáiseach san áireamh; riosca géiniteach; fionnachtain agus brath bithmharcóirí; cumarsáid ó chill go cill laistigh de shiadaí; gaschealla agus teiripe chille.   An Bithbhanc Ailse agus oibriú i gcomhar le comhpháirtithe náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta, rud a éascóidh úsáid samplaí cliniciúla d’fhonn fiosrúchán a dhéanamh ar an gcaoi a bhforbraíonn an galar, a ndiagnóisítear é agus a gcuirtear cóir leighis air.  Saindiagnóisic trí úsáid a bhaint as trealamh íomháithe dhigitigh spásúil.  Trialacha cliniciúla a bhaineann le réimse na diagnóisice, cóireálacha leighis agus leo siúd a thagann slán, agus san áireamh leis sin tá máinliacht chíche agus teilealeigheas.  Forbairt ionaid ailse chuimsithigh a mbeidh creidiúnú Eorpach aige tríd an gclár taighde chomh maith le habhcóideacht a dhéanamh d’infreastruchtúr feabhsaithe do chóireáil ailse mar chuid de FSS an Iarthair agus an Iarthuaiscirt - ainmniúchán Ionad Ailse Ollscoil na Gaillimhe mar Ionad Ailse de chuid Eagraíocht Institiúidí Ailse na hEorpa (OECI).    Ceapacháin agus róil acadúla agus taighde lena n-áirítear Ceann na hOinceolaíochta Leighis; Stiúrthóir Eolaíochta; altraí do thrialacha cliniciúla; eolaithe iardhochtúireachta agus mic léinn PhD; scoláireachtaí samhraidh taighde ailse.   Bhí an méid seo le rá ag Caroline Loughnane, Cathaoirleach na hInstitiúide Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche: “An misean atá ag an Institiúid Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche airgead a bhailiú chun tacú le taighde ailse chíche den chéad scoth a mbeidh fíorthionchar aige, agus tionchar intomhaiste, ar thorthaí d’othair le hailse chíche. Tá an-áthas orainn a bheith in ann an infheistíocht seo, arbh fhiú €4 mhilliún í, a dhéanamh sa chlár taighde ailse chíche in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe faoi stiúir an Ollaimh Michael Kerin agus a fhoireann. An toradh a mbítear ag súil leis ó thaighde ná fionnachtana nua, cóireálacha leighis níos éifeachtaí agus torthaí níos fearr d’othair atá ag fulaingt le hailse chíche. Tá an NBCRI ag tacú le taighde ar ailse chíche le breis agus tríocha bliain agus tá an-áthas orainn a bheith in ann cur lenár dtiomantas do chlár taighde ailse chíche in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus céim nua á tógáil aige mar ionad ailse le creidiúnú Eorpach i gcomhpháirtíocht le FSS an Iarthair agus an Iarthuaiscirt.”   Dúirt an tOllamh Michael Kerin, Ollamh le Máinliacht in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, Máinlia Comhairleach in Ospidéil na hOllscoile, Gaillimh agus Stiúrthóir Taighde NBCRI: “Tacóidh an maoiniú seo le clár cuimsitheach taighde agus tógann sé ar a bhfuil bainte amach, a bhuíochas le tacaíocht an NBCRI, i dtaighde ailse chíche, na géinte atá ina n-údar don ghalar, mar shampla, na bithmharcóirí atá in ann cúrsa an ghalair a thuar, agus léirmhíniú radaighníomhach níos fearr. Tá sé tar éis ligean dúinn cur le comhoibrithe cliniciúla agus taighde ar an oileán seo agus ar fud an domhain. Tá an fhoireann taighde thar a bheith buíoch dár mBord agus dár nOibrithe Deonacha a thugann an-tacaíocht agus spreagadh dúinn.   An toradh atá ar an gcaidreamh seanbhunaithe idir Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus an NBCRI ná isteach is amach le €8 milliún i bhfoirm maoiniú daonchairdiúil agus infheistíocht i dtaighde a bheith curtha ar fáil ó 2010 i leith d'Institiúid Lambe san Ollscoil.   Athdhearbhú is ea tiomantas nua seo an NBCRI ar an bhfócas atá ag an gcarthanas ar chur chuige a fhaigheann faisnéis ó thaighde féachaint le torthaí níos fearr a fháil d’othair.    Críoch    

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill T.D. today formally launched a €4million charitable funding investment by National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI) for research into life-changing advancements in patient care and outcomes at University of Galway.  The NBCRI philanthropy will enable enhanced research and diagnostics for the benefit of patients, including digital imaging currently not available in Ireland, the expansion of clinical trials and more international collaboration on the analysis of clinical samples.  The multimillion-euro charitable funding is being provided as part of a new Signature Partnership between NBCRI and the University which will provide for new, critical academic and research posts.  The partnership and philanthropy build on a legacy of relations between the two organisations going back more than three decades, with a specific focus on enabling scientific and clinical research over the last 15 years.  The Signature Partnership was officially signed and formally launched at an event in the University’s Lambe Institute for Translational Research.  Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, T.D.: “I am delighted to launch this important partnership between the National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI) and the University of Galway. This investment of €4 million in breast cancer research will not only enhance patient care and outcomes but also pave the way for groundbreaking advancements in research and diagnostics. As breast cancer is one of the most common cancers, with 1 in 7 women in Ireland receiving a diagnosis during their lifetime, today’s announcement marks another important step forward in supporting women affected by this disease.”  Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, said: “University of Galway welcomes this funding by NBCRI and the step change it creates in a longstanding and impactful collaboration on breast cancer research. Our partnership goes back many years and we have no doubt that this generous philanthropic investment will make a significant difference to outcomes for cancer patients, as well as the wider impact that our University can have as a research-intensive institution, rooted in the community and committed to the public good.”  A national charity, the National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI) has been instrumental in advancing the development of the breast screening and symptomatic clinics at University Hospital Galway and the development of clinical and fundamental breast cancer research at the Lambe Institute at University of Galway.  The new NBCRI funding investment will support: University of Galway’s translational breast cancer research, including metastatic breast cancer; genetic risk; biomarker discovery and detection; cell communication within tumours; stem cells and cell therapy. The Cancer Biobank and collaboration with expert national and international partners which enables the use of clinical samples to investigate how the disease develops, is diagnosed and is treated. Specialist diagnostics through state-of-the-art digital spatial imaging equipment. Clinical trials into diagnostics, treatment and survivorship, including breast surgery and telemedicine. The development of a European-accredited comprehensive cancer centre through the research programme and advocacy for improved cancer treatment infrastructure as part of the HSE West and North-West - University of Galway Cancer Centre designation as an Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI) Cancer Centre.  Academic and research appointments and roles including a Chair of Medical Oncology; Scientific Director; clinical trials nurses; postdoctoral scientists and PhD students; cancer research summer scholarships.  Chairperson of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute, Caroline Loughnane, said: “The mission of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute is to raise funds in support of world-class breast cancer research that has a real and measurable impact on outcomes for breast cancer patients. We are delighted to be making this investment of €4million in the breast cancer research programme at University of Galway, led by Professor Michael Kerin and his team. Research means new discoveries, more effective treatments and better outcomes for breast cancer patients. Building on more than three decades of support, NBCRI is excited to extend its commitment to the breast cancer research programme at University of Galway as it enters a new phase as a European accredited cancer centre in partnership with the HSE West and North-West.”  Professor Michael Kerin, Professor of Surgery at University of Galway, Consultant Surgeon at Galway University Hospitals and Research Director at NBCRI, said: “This funding underpins an expansive programme of research and builds on the legacy of the NBCRI contribution to major discoveries in breast cancer ranging from the genes that cause it, biomarkers that predict outcome, improved radiological interpretation. It has allowed us to contribute to major clinical and research collaborations on this island and across the globe. The research team are immensely grateful to our Board and Volunteers whose support is immense and inspirational.”  University of Galway’s longstanding relationship with NBCRI has enabled approximately €8million of philanthropic funding and investment in research at the Lambe Institute at the University since 2010.  The new commitment by the NBCRI reaffirms the charity’s focus on a research-informed approach to improving patient outcomes. Ends