Ireland is to make a voluntary contribution of €150,000 to the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The prosecutor had previously asked all states that are party to the ICC for help to address his office’s urgent need for extra resources.

The office’s workload has increased significantly after the start of a formal investigation into the situation in Ukraine.

Technology and equipment

The Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said that Ireland was a “leading supporter” of the ICC, and had been one of 40 states to refer the situation in Ukraine to the court earlier this month.

“This money will be used to provide new technology and equipment for investigations, provide enhanced psycho-social support to witnesses and survivors, and enhance specialised capacity with respect to investigation of sexual and gender-based violence and crimes against children,” the minister said.

In addition to the voluntary contribution announced yesterday (31 March), Ireland has contributed almost €1.3 million towards funding the ICC this year.