Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The specific question I asked concerned the audit. The Minister of State is telling me that the draft is there. When was that draft presented to the Department? When will it be published? This is one of several actions in this context, as the Minister of State said. We are waiting on the audit of the available emergency accommodation for victims of sexual and gender-based domestic violence from Tusla. I asked about that matter yesterday. That is not available yet either. We know all the figures, and we know that the Garda has done its best and that the wonderful Operation Faoiseamh was put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic. The worry, of course, is whether the resources will be there afterwards. In addition, the immediate worry is the horrific increase in domestic violence. The Garda Commissioner's report stated that domestic assaults had risen by 24% compared with the previous year, from 2019 to 2020. Calls in that regard had gone up by 16%. I could go on, but I will not. I ask the Minister of State to respond with precision.

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