Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the passage of this legislation through both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Minister is correct in stating that it is significant legislation. We need to recall that it is 22 years since the first domestic violence legislation was introduced back in 1996. We had amending legislation subsequently in 2002. It is important that the Oireachtas updates legislation in respect of this area and ensures that domestic violence is recognised as being unacceptable in our society.

Now that the legislation has been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, it is my hope that it will be signed promptly by the President. After that, it is a matter for the Minister for Justice and Equality to determine when particular sections should be commenced. I hope the commencement orders will be made promptly. It is important the legislation is put into force and into use as quickly as possible.

The Minister indicated that the legislation is there for the protection of all persons involved in domestic arrangements. However, it must be recognised that, regrettably, in our society domestic violence is predominantly perpetrated against women. There is also violence outside domestic arrangements and against women which is equally unacceptable. We need to recognise that there is a problem not just in Irish society - sometimes we think problems are exclusive to this country - but also internationally in the context of violence by men against women. It is a problem that goes much further in terms of trying to resolve it than with legislation. It is important on occasions such as this to record the fact that there is significant statistical evidence of the violence by men against women in domestic arrangements.

In 2016, there were approximately 3,500 incidents of physical abuse against women in the domestic environment. In a European Union study carried out in 2014, it was reported that 14% of women in Ireland have experienced physical violence by a partner since they attained the age of 15. Up to 6% of Irish women have experienced sexual violence by a current or former partner while 31% of women have experienced psychological violence by a partner. We do not have to rely upon European studies to identify the fact that Irish women are subjected to domestic violence. The National Crime Council conducted research which found that one in seven women has experienced severe abusive behaviour of a physical, sexual or emotional nature from a partner at some point.

In a report conducted by the European Union on the campaign against domestic violence, it was noted 25% of all violent crimes reported involved a man assaulting his wife or partner. This is a problem that society needs to address. In fairness to politicians, we cannot resolve it exclusively on our own. However, it must be recognised that legislation is part of the solution. It is important to note that in Ireland since 1996, when the first domestic violence legislation was introduced, 216 women have died violently. Up to 63% of those 216 women were killed in their own homes. In the resolved cases where there was a determination of culpability, 56% of women were murdered by a partner or an ex-partner. Another 32% of women were killed by someone they knew. It is instructive to note that of those 216 women who were killed in Ireland over the past 22 years, 40 of them were aged between 18 and 25 years of age. Recently in my constituency, a woman, Joanne Lee, was brutally murdered as a result of domestic involvement. That was a tragic case which also revealed not only the violence that is sometimes perpetrated by men and women but also the association between such violence and alcohol and drugs.

In order to deal with the problem of domestic violence, or any violence, we must approach the problem of alcohol and drugs consumption and abuse. When one analyses those acts of violence, a high percentage of them are perpetrated by people who have taken drugs or are in a drunken state due to alcohol.

Considerable numbers of acts of sexual violence are perpetrated against Irish women. We know from the Women's Aid impact report of 2016 that there were 695 disclosures of sexual abuse made to the Women's Aid services in 2016 including 316 disclosures of rape. The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre's national helpline received 11,500 contacts in 2015 and 76% of callers were female. An Garda Síochána also has records in respect of sexual offences. It recorded 2,500 sexual offences in 2016.

I commend An Garda Síochána on how it deals with domestic violence and abuse. The Garda often comes in for criticism in this House. Domestic disputes are an extremely sensitive area, even before they are elevated or transferred into violence. My experience, and what I hear from interest groups in the area, is that An Garda Síochána plays a vigorous and professional role in dealing with examples of domestic violence.

I welcome the legislation. It is important that we re-emphasise the unacceptability of domestic violence or, indeed, any forms of violence. The only way that we will resolve the problem and ensure that domestic violence is reduced is through a legislative response - that is what we have here - but also to educate and inform young men of the unacceptability of using violence against women, and that they maintain that throughout their lives. Unfortunately, there are men in Irish society who think violence against women is acceptable. I suspect many of them grew up as children in environments where domestic violence was perpetrated against the women close to them. In a way, it is a vicious circle where violence begets violence but we need further response to this. We need to educate and to have parental responsibility to ensure that parents know the impact they have on their children as they grow up is enormous.

I commend all the parties who contributed to this legislation. It is very fine legislation, which I hope will be of use and will help protect all people in Ireland who find themselves unfortunate enough to be subjected to domestic violence.

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