Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Bill and discussion and the collegiate way in which we are responding to it. Christmas is fast approaching, and for all of us, it will be a different kind of Christmas for the reasons we know. While it may be different, for the vast majority of us it will still be a joyous occasion. I, along with all Deputies, am acutely aware that for many people, this can be a time of additional fear and dread. The domestic violence services anticipate a surge in demand in the run-up to Christmas. While we may be thinking about how we can hide our presents for our loved ones, many people are hiding emotional, physical, psychological and financial abuse at the very hands of those who are supposed to be their loved ones. They are completely isolated from their family, friends or abusive partner.

It is this type of abuse and violence that we want to prevent by providing supports for victims, something I have personally prioritised. I want to do more and to work with every Member of the House, including the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and other colleagues, to do that. We are committed to working collaboratively, not just with colleagues in government but throughout the community and voluntary sector and with partners, to ensure that our response is based on prevention and support and that it is underpinned by a robust legal system that supports victims.

This Government is determined to deliver on all elements of support, be it practical, physical, emotional or legal. At the same time we have to ensure the perpetrators know that we will not stop until they are brought to justice. We have made a number of commitments, and we intend to keep to them, in the programme for Government around the provision of paid leave, providing that financial support for those who cannot work because of domestic violence. I welcome the Minister's response this evening. There are commitments around social protection supports, some of which Deputy Cairns has outlined already.

The programme for Government commits to an independent audit of how services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence are segmented across the Government agencies. It is important that we do this. This audit will, I hope, help us to build a more comprehensive and more efficient system for ensuring that anyone facing domestic abuse can access that high-quality support. The audit will be completed next March and I can assure Deputies that we will collectively act on it. Our third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence will also be developed before the end of 2021, and we are conducting a review of the implementation of the second strategy so far to make sure that nothing is left behind.

Education and awareness are also key, both to ensuring victims know where and how to access supports and to changing societal needs. My Department is running a number of campaigns and we are also working on a national consent campaign to be launched next year. Deputy Ó Ríordáin talked about women's aid and Ms Sarah Benson talking about a particular piece of research recently, the launch of which I attended. It is frightening to see the statistics, particularly among our younger people, and the amount of violence that is already there in some of the younger relationships. It is important that we focus on consent and that we talk to younger people at a much earlier age.

Raising awareness through campaigns, such as Still Here and No Excuses, leads to increased calls for support services, but when an individual, be it a woman or a man, takes the brave step to seek help, we need to be there. We need to make sure the services and the supports are there for them. I welcome the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman's commitment in this regard this evening in the area of domestic violence leave.

Ensuring a high standard of support services for victims of crime throughout the State is provided for in Supporting a Victim's Journey, the plan that I recently published to help victims and vulnerable witnesses in sexual violence cases. As part of this plan we also will map a victim's journey and examine how we can broaden our grants system. The implementation of the plan is a decisive step forward in ensuring the criminal and justice systems are victim centred. We have work to do but we have implementation meetings happening this week with all the agencies and with the community and voluntary sector to make sure that this work is done, that we do not merely publish reports and that we actually implement the recommendations. When implemented, I hope that they will also encourage victims to come forward, reassured in the knowledge that they will be supported, listened to, informed and treated respectfully throughout the entire process. Supporting a Victim's Journey also provides for specific training for An Garda Síochána, the Judiciary and lawyers so that they can better understand a victim's perspective but, most importantly, their needs.

Next week we hope to pass the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill 2017, which I intend to refer to as "Coco's law". Many of us are very much aware of the tragic case of the late Ms Nicole Fox Fenlon and the tireless work of her mother. Jackie has campaigned for years to honour her daughter's memory to strengthen the law so that others can be safer. The Bill would prevent the sharing of intimate images without consent regardless of the motivation for doing so. This is abuse. It should be stopped. I thank all Deputies for their co-operation in the assistance of passing this through the House as quickly as possible.

I truly believe that this Government will put in place the systems and structures needed to deliver on our commitment to stamp out the scourge of domestic violence. We are working on many policies in this area. I look forward to working with all Deputies in this House and in the Seanad to bring about much-needed change and reform in this area.

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