Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

It is important that there should be a place where people can go to register their complaints anonymously and have a sense that they are being taken seriously. This is an initiative that Safe Arts of Ireland talked about and it referred to similar facilities being available in some of our third level institutions, as I know from my engagement with it, and UCD in particular must be noted in this regard. Safe Arts of Ireland has asked for a new independent body to which complaints can be made by non-contracted workers, contracted workers and artists. My Department has been working on this for some months now in partnership with the ITI and in collaboration with Minding Creative Minds.

Progress is being made, and I am hopeful I will be in a position to make an announcement on that issue in the summer.

As for the matter of investigation of allegations of assault, sexual assault and rape, An Garda Síochána is the civil authority in the State for policing and investigation, and that should not change. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, has reported that every Garda division in the country now has a divisional protective services unit with specially trained officers available when victims of domestic or sexual violence present to the Garda. As for a place where people can go to register complaints anonymously, I have a sense that that is being taken seriously. It is being progressed in my Department.