A new study recommending changes in the prosecution of sexual assault cases could play a part in legislative reform, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform said yesterday.
Among the recommendations in the report is a call for further resources to ensure rape cases are processed more quickly.
Another is that all personnel involved in rape trials, including judges, barristers for both prosecution and defence, and juries, should receive some form of rape awareness training.
The report was carried out by the departments of applied social studies and the department of law at NUI Cork, in co-operation with the Cork and Kerry rape crisis centres.
Yesterday, Mr O'Donoghue said the study would add significantly to his Department's knowledge in the context of any further legislative reform needed.
The research was undertaken against the background of an increase in recent years in the number of rapes reported to gardai, and of the Sex Offenders Bill 2000, which is nearing completion of its passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas.
It included consultations with personnel working with victims of sexual crime and with eight victims who had contacted either the Cork or Kerry rape crisis centre after January 1994.
The report says it should be mandatory for prosecutors to meet victims before the trial date to brief them on the process and proceedings, and to keep the victim briefed during the trial regarding ongoing developments.
The Minister will refer the study to the National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women.