Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising what really is a very important and multifaceted issue, namely, domestic violence and the related issue of gender-based violence. The Government has specific campaigns to alert people to the issue, because by its very nature, unlike violent crimes that occur on the street, a lot of it is invisible even to the Garda. In many instances people are so intimidated within the domestic setting that they feel inhibited from any reaction and the situation continues for many years.

The issue is a real one. It is multifaceted in the sense that we need to have more than one response. The availability of outreach helplines is something of importance, not only the example the Deputy has instanced, namely, Childline, which is specifically focused on children and run by the ISPCC, a very important charitable organisation in the State, but many others such as the service provided by the Rape Crisis Centre and the Samaritans that are available for people in domestic crisis.

We must ensure people can also reach out to the Garda Síochána in such instances because violence against anybody in any setting is a crime. I will discuss with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the two points raised by Deputy Ó Fearghaíl, namely, adequate funding to ensure that Childline, as one of the important helplines, is available, and also the current position on the Istanbul Convention.

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