Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy that there is no room for complacency on the issue of violence against women. Some years ago, people might have felt this was less of a problem but evidence suggests it remains a very serious issue, very often associated with drug and alcohol use. Tackling the alcohol issue is necessary, therefore. This morning we saw a very disturbing report on Irish patterns of alcohol consumption. This House must take that report extremely seriously in so far as legislation is a factor.

According to the recently published Council of Europe analytical study of the results of monitoring the recommendations in regard to domestic violence and violence against women generally, Ireland is only one of nine member states where the ratio of shelter beds relative to population is higher than 1 per 10,000, that being the recommended rate. Ireland has 1.29 shelter beds per 10,000 population.

I make that point in terms of our own particular responses but, clearly, countries vary enormously in terms of how seriously they deal with this issue. I want to assure the Deputy I will deal with it with the utmost seriousness and, whatever legislation is needed, I intend to prioritise it.

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