Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

I wish briefly to add my voice on this extremely serious issue. I agree with the amendment affirming that domestic violence is a heinous crime and a cruel wrong that affects the safety and welfare of vulnerable people in the home, including children.

Domestic violence is much more prevalent than many people realise, unless they have themselves been touched by it first-hand. Many believe that violence is seen in the form of broken bones and bruising. As Chair of the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, I too have heard first-hand at its meetings the reality that such violence can be very subtle and go far beyond injuring spouses or partners physically on parts of their body exposed to public view. People often assume that if one cannot see evidence on the victim's face, it cannot be happening. Such violence can consist of bullying and intimidation, be verbal, psychological, financial, sexual or take some other form. It is all geared towards undermining the confidence of the victim and exerting control.

I wish to raise awareness of the fact that alcohol consumption contributes significantly to marital discord and related child welfare difficulties and domestic violence. The committee's recent report, The Inclusion of Alcohol in a National Substance Misuse Strategy, refers to the fact that one Irish marriage-counselling service reported that problem drinking was the primary issue in up to 25% of cases each year. That cannot continue to be considered in any way normal or acceptable.

As an aside, I ask that the Minister inform his counterpart, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, that the family law backlog in Donegal must be addressed. Current delays are causing deeper anxiety, hurt and difficulties where separations are contentious.

I do not want to come across as a killjoy, since I enjoy a drink as much as anyone, but alcohol is literally killing the joy in many houses through adults, and sometimes their children, abusing it. The nature of the information we received in compiling our report was quite staggering but is unfortunately not unusual. The suggestion that violent alcoholic partners, usually men, might encourage their spouse or partner to drink and thus allow the shame of alcohol dependence to lessen the other's chances of leaving with the children was a serious finding.

We will publish two more reports on 26 March. It was very clearly seen that a child's relationships, particularly a girl's relationship with her father, play a very significant part in whether he or she turns to drink or drugs. Therefore, parental role models and how we address or ignore issues are very important. I was very proud of the recent Inishowen Women's Outreach ten-year celebrations, proving how right they were to form and push for services. Their work, not only in a voluntary capacity but with the HSE, county council and gardaí, means they are making very significant inroads into the issue.

Being honest, I said to them at the recent celebrations that a small service in a local rural community would not work and that people experiencing domestic violence would not come forward with a problem at such a parochial level. I congratulate them now as then that they have proven me wrong. Statistics are there to back up the service, which is provided in a very rural area of only approximately 30,000 people. From January to June 2006, some 879 people used the helpline, with 204 repeat contacts and 250 service-users.

I want mainstreaming funding for the service, whose part-time support worker carries a very heavy burden, despite a great level of volunteering, and it is dependent on annual financing. They currently operate on approximately €23,000, when even €100,000 would be challenging in the context of running the best service. Given the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey's, excellent work to increase the budget nationally, I trust that their case will be examined sympathetically and fully endorse the value of their work. Alongside Letterkenny Women's Refuge and the Rape Crisis Centre, they provide invaluable support in our county and community. It is too bad that we need a service to address domestic violence.

We must look to the causes of the problem and address the elephant in the living room, which is alcohol. I speak not of its use but of its abuse, its place in our culture, in celebrations or commiseration, its infiltration through almost exclusive sponsorship of major and local sporting events, and the reality of marriage breakdown, mental health problems, accident-and-emergency statistics, road deaths and so forth. I could go on for quite some time.

I commend the bravery of those who come forward and the voluntary work being done in many areas.

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