Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Taoiseach. We all send our sympathies and condolences to the Murphy family at this awful time. There are not words really to describe the trauma and grief that family and, as the Taoiseach said, the entire community is experiencing. An ocean of tears has been shed for Ashling and the hundreds of women who have lost their lies in a violent manner.

The systemic nature of male violence towards women has now been identified and called out in a powerful way and so it falls to us as legislators, elected representatives and political leaders to lead the way. That is the expectation of us.

I share and endorse the Taoiseach's position that we need an all-of-Oireachtas approach to this. This is not a moment for party politics or division, but for unity. It is my strong belief that it is imperative that the Taoiseach, as Head of Government, is at the wheel and leads on this matter. The danger is that when the shock lessens, the initial grief subsides, the headlines have been written, the cameras go away and that poor family is left with the awfulness of their loss, the real test will be what we do in here.

We need an all-of-society and whole-of-community response to this complex issue. We cannot legislate misogyny away but we will never see an end to this endemic violence unless we get our act together and are clear that we mean business. That initial meeting of all political leaders should be the beginning of our collective journey and endeavour.

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