Dara Murphy (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will convey the Deputy’s comments to the Minister. Great use was made of the SAVI report. It was an important body of work which highlights the extent and nature of sexual violence in Ireland. In the meantime, other data has become available, including the study by the Fundamental Rights Agency. This research has supported the development of the second national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, which the Minister for Justice and Equality intends to publish shortly, and an action plan which, when completed, will enable Ireland to ratify the Istanbul Convention. The Minister for Justice and Equality is strongly supportive of an updated SAVI report. Such a study would provide contemporary information on the prevalence of what is, and has been, often hidden in Ireland. We would have a measure of what had changed during the past decade across society as well as information on the new challenges that had emerged. The costs of undertaking this research are significant and, as I indicated and as the Deputy suggested, the Department of Justice and Equality continues to explore possible approaches to identifying a ring-fenced funding stream in the area which could be used. I will pass on the Deputy's request that it be done, given that there is no disagreement between his point and the Department's reply.

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