Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like everybody else, I offer my deepest simply to Ashling's family and, indeed, the whole community, who have suffered enormously. The most important thing we could do now as a community is to make sure that her family continue to be supported at this very difficult time. The total and absolute devastation and what they had to face is just unbelievable. Our support and that of the community is very important. She was a wonderful person - a brilliant and caring teacher so obviously and clearly loved by all her family, friends and pupils. One important thing I learned about is the hugely supportive community that is around her in Tullamore and in the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, GAA and camogie clubs. That is really fantastic and I know it brought hope to that family and to the whole country.

I listened to people like Orla O'Connor from the National Women's Council talk about zero tolerance for misogyny and sexism, support in schools for changes in programmes and so on, dealing with issues in third level, dealing with sporting organisations and, as my colleague said, creating safer public places by installing CCTV in walks which are not safe at times and having proper public lighting, more Garda patrols and better footpaths. They are the small little things that communities can help with.

I also wish to commend the Drogheda Dolls in my area, which organised a vigil, and Women's Aid, in particular. There was huge support and acknowledgement publicly in Ardee, Dundalk, Drogheda and Bettystown of the devastation and concerns raised.

I will say one very important thing, which I said in this Chamber last year during the debate on domestic violence. Since 1996, 203 women and 16 children have died as a result of domestic violence. Three of those women died in 2020. That was in the Women's Aid annual report last year. There were 290,000 visits to the Women's Aid website, which concerns an awful lot of people. There were 24,800 contacts about emotional, physical and sexual abuse. That was up 43% on the previous year. There were 709 murder threats, 148 pregnant women abused and 28 miscarriages. It is not good enough. It is time for change. This House will act collectively.

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