Dáil debates

Wednesday, 24 June 2020

Covid-19 (Measures to Protect Victims of Domestic Violence): Statements

 

5:30 pm

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the few moments available to me I want to address some of the issues that have been raised by Deputy Tully, and indeed Deputy Martin Kenny, in this slot. Both Deputies have echoed what has been a common grievance on the part of Deputies over the past few minutes, that is, in respect of the availability of refuge places which, I wish to acknowledge, is patchy in parts of the country and needs to be addressed. I want to acknowledge the work of Tusla in particular in that regard and say that there is currently a review well under way but I agree with Deputy Tully when she acknowledges that this is an issue for more than just the Department of Justice and Equality. It involves the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, local authorities and, in many respects, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection also. I very much agree that this is an issue on which work needs to be accelerated on the part of the new Government. I believe that there are parts of the country, indeed in my constituency, as well as Deputy Martin Kenny's, where the services are simply not up to a standard that one would expect. I want to acknowledge, however, that while we speak about the need to increase the availability of refuge accommodation, that in many ways acknowledges the fact that the perpetrator of the violence remains in the family home. Obviously, there is the availability of such measures under the criminal justice system as barring orders and place of safety orders to ensure the protection, in the first instance, of the victim but I believe there is no place in the family home for a perpetrator and often what happens in practice is that it is the woman, and we are talking about women in more than 90% of the cases, who leaves the family home, rather than having the perpetrator put under the subject of a barring order.

I want to acknowledge what Deputy Tully said in terms of domestic homicide reviews, as well as the familicide study. I expect real progress on those over the course of the summer. Last year, I commissioned a study into familicide and domestic homicide reviews. I want to acknowledge the work in particular of that great social campaigner, Norah Gibbons, who sadly died during the course of the Covid-19 pandemic. I offer my sympathy to her family but at the same time acknowledge the great pioneering work that she undertook over decades in this area. I want to say that Maura Butler, solicitor, and Grainne McMorrow, senior counsel, have both been members of the advisory group. I spoke to Maura Butler recently. I expect that within weeks, we would be in a position to lay that before the House and I acknowledge the importance of recommendations that I expect to be forthcoming.

There are other issues specifically raised by Deputy Tully on which I undertake to send her an email in reply, having regard to the time.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.