Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy. On whether the GSOC report can be provided to the family, as he knows, GSOC operates independently of Government and independently of the Garda. However, we will make inquiries as to whether it is possible to share that with the family. At the very least, if there is some reason it cannot be shared, the family should know why.

I take this opportunity to express my condolences and those of the Government to the family of Dara Quigley who sadly died by suicide. The loss of a loved one is always difficult and the grief and trauma experienced by her family due to the circumstances of her death must be particularly harrowing. I also commend her family on how they are raising awareness of important issues including the sharing of intimate images without consent, which can have a severe impact on people's mental health. I am confident that what they are doing will add to the legacy of Dara through her work and achievements as a journalist and an activist.

I am aware of four particular issues that are being raised: our laws on the creation and sharing of private sexual or intimate images without consent, which the Deputy mentioned; appropriate training for gardaí; the regulation of CCTV; and greater transparency from social media companies about how they deal with image-based sexual abuse. Regarding the creation and sharing of private sexual or intimate images without consent, the Government has agreed an action plan for online safety following the Law Reform Commission report on harmful communications and digital safety, which highlighted the ways in which modern technology can be used to cause harm.

While we already have legislation dealing with harassment and harmful communications, changes now need to be made to ensure that our laws reflect advances in technology and changes in how we communicate. The Minister for Justice and Equality is already working on legislation to strengthen the criminal law in the area of harmful communications, both online and offline. As well as modernising the laws on the sending of threatening or abusive messages, the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill, sponsored by Deputy Howlin, will introduce a distinct offence of stalking and will provide two offences to deal with non-consensual recording and distribution of intimate images.

On training for gardaí, the Garda is continually improving its specialist services. To respond to the needs of special victims, the Commissioner is now setting up divisional protective service units, the equivalent of special victim units, SVUs, that people will be familiar with from New York and elsewhere in the United States. These will have specially trained officers who can engage and interview victims of sex-related crimes. That will enable a much more consistent and professional approach to the investigation of sexual crimes and domestic violence in particular.

More generally, a range of human rights-focused reforms are being introduced under a policing service for the future, including the establishment of a human rights unit in An Garda Síochána and human rights training for all Garda members, and the codification of legislation defining police powers of arrest, search and detention.

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