Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is a point I can take the Taoiseach up on that he has not used in regard to that. I welcome the matter is under consideration but I would ask for a scála ama, a timescale, immediately. The Taoiseach referred to refuges. Let me confirm that, according to the Council of Europe, we need 446 family refuge places in Ireland; we have 143.

In regard to the cost, let me refer to the cost of a subsection of that violence, which is domestic violence. It costs €2.2 billion to the economy every year and I can tell the Taoiseach how that is laid out in terms of hospital visits, loss of productivity, etc.

In regard to putting funding into front-line services and not into research, the one follow-up that did take place of this groundbreaking research was four years later it was found that those who had participated, who had never before revealed sexual abuse, confirmed that it was a positive experience. Therefore, not only will the Government save money - perhaps I can get through to the Taoiseach on that level in terms of the cost of not dealing with being €2.2 billion - but on a psychological level, it is extremely good for the participants because this groundbreaking research and the follow-up were sensitively carried out.

That is what is important about this. We have no choice. I appeal to the Taoiseach. Referring to European facts is not helpful at this point. I have all of them and have carried out the research. I acknowledge the other Deputies, including those of Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Fianna Fáil and Solidarity, who have repeatedly raised this issue.

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