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

I am very reluctant to discuss individual court details and evidence given by professionals in courts on the floor of the Dáil.

I have not seen any collusion in the approach to domestic violence taken in this House. I recently launched the second strategy on domestic violence and considerable work is being done by all the stakeholders and front-line services involved in this area. The Government is providing increasing support. I accept, however, that there will always be requests for more support and I am open to examining these requests. Tusla provides funding for refuges.

I have, in the Domestic Violence Bill, taken on board the vast majority of the recommendations made to me by the various stakeholders. The Bill is on Committee Stage and I hope to progress it quickly to ensure we have much stronger law which provides stronger penalties for perpetrators and more supports for victims of domestic violence. We have also implemented a campaign targeted at bystanders to highlight the importance of greater societal awareness, one of the issues raised by Deputy Coppinger.

We have seen extraordinary, horrible and upsetting examples of domestic violence which have led to the deaths of young women. Many other women are suffering domestic violence, sometimes in silence, and we must do everything possible to break the cycle and ensure they can escape.

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