Families bereaved through murder, manslaughter or fatal assault often feel isolated and alone, but now a new group has been set up to campaign for their rights.
The group, Advocates for the Victims of Homicide (Advic), will bring together families who have suffered the trauma of the unlawful killing of a family member.
Advic says its aims are to ensure the rights of families of homicide victims are not ignored within the justice system, and to bring about a fairer, more balanced system for them.
Annie Mulvaney, who lost her son Brian five years' ago, said members were all people who had been bereaved in this way. At the moment there were 10 core members, two of whom had lost a family member abroad.
"When something like this happens, families feel very lost and alone. It is very hard to get information and to access agencies who will be involved with you."
She said the group, a registered charity, wanted to help families to access information, but also sought changes in the judicial system. It hoped that by bringing out the issues in public it would open up discussion and bring awareness.
"Families' rights are non-existent within the system. Because it is non-existent it makes it unbearable on top of the bereavement."
Noeleen Slattery, who lost her daughter Caroline Lee in France five years ago, said the group had a website and a policy document on changes they were advocating. The website is www.advic.ie
Advic's policy document advocates changes in pre-trial procedures, including a DPP liaison officer and a victim character profile in the book of evidence submitted by the family.
Other recommendations include calls for the charges of murder and manslaughter to be reviewed, and a charge of homicide by degree introduced.
It also proposes changes to the mandatory life sentence for murder with a view to introducing a minimum term of 25 years' imprisonment, and no bail where the case is adjourned for sentencing.
It wants changes in parole procedures, and new guidelines for training gardaí dealing with families to give a more consistent service.