Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The report of Women’s Aid, published today, highlights the fact that in 2015 the national domestic abuse service received 16,375 disclosures of domestic abuse against women and 5,966 disclosures of child abuse.

That is a total of 22,341 abuse disclosures. These figures will shock not only those of us in this Chamber but also everybody across the country. Across Ireland, women have been choked, scalded, strangled, punched, spat at, cut with knives and hit with golf clubs. These are acts of barbarism.

Over the past 20 years, 211 women have been murdered in Ireland, almost half at the hands of people using their bare hands. In 2015 in Ireland, far too many women lived in fear. That continues this year. The women live in fear of physical and psychological abuse and they fear for their children. As a House, we must put an end to that.

We clearly need to do more to protect women in the home and women in relationships. Will the Taoiseach give a clear timeline to the House for the enactment of the criminal justice (victims of crime) Bill? Will he agree to amend that draft legislation to allow for young women in dating relationships who are not living with their partners to receive the same protection as envisaged for cohabiting couples under that draft legislation?

Given the small amount of additional money required, will the Taoiseach agree now to extend funding for the 24/7 national freephone helpline in recognition of the real issues that have been highlighted today in the Women’s Aid report?

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