Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to take this opportunity to highlight the issue of domestic violence and ask three simple questions of the Minister. I will give some background. I refer to the expansion of the safe intervention units by gardaí, such as the one in Dún Laoghaire, for intervening safely in case of domestic abuse and coercive control; access to the courts for victims of domestic abuse; and the question of abuse and coercive control playing out through family law proceedings more generally, including the manipulation of court processes such as access to play therapy and so on.

As a Parliament we all recognise, as Deputy Murnane O'Connor has done today, the importance of domestic abuse supports for victims at this time. Many people are in their least safe place when they are at home. Children, women and men around our country are stuck in very difficult situations. Some have become more financially dependent on their abusers because of the loss of work. Some are simply unable to physically leave in a way they may have been able to do. Some have become more isolated from friends and family, and their abusers are using that isolation to further remove them from their friends and family and make their situation much more difficult. Some depended on the release of work, education, friends and simply getting outside to escape abuse at home.

As a Parliament, we cannot highlight enough the unacceptability of abuse in the home. I congratulate the Minister and the Government on the success, I think, of the video and TV campaign to highlight the impact and that shows how difficult it can be for some people in our community. It highlighted the significance of neighbours, friends and family being vigilant, that they step in and raise concerns and not be afraid or leave it to other people.

I will refer to three specific issues. We have an excellent unit in Dún Laoghaire concerned with safe intervention for people suffering abuse. Is that something the Minister might consider discussing with the Garda regarding a more general roll out? The issue of access to courts given the impact of Covid-19 restrictions was raised earlier. How can access be facilitated on an ex partebasis? A more general issue has come up repeatedly which is relevant today and also of continued relevance in future, namely, how people in abusive situations can have their situations made much worse through family law proceedings where abusers have the opportunity to consent, not consent, or to withdraw consent to constructive interventions such as play therapy for children. It is incredibly important that we do not allow an abusive relationship and an abusive domestic situation be perpetuated through our court processes and let that abuse be facilitated any longer.

I am afraid I forgot to say I am sharing time with Deputy Heydon. My apologies.

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