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

It is true that the Ireland of today is a different country from the Ireland of the 1970s. We are more open and willing to confront issues that were previously brushed under the carpet, such as domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, and we are more willing to listen to often unpalatable truths about our society.

As we all know, however, despite seismic shift in attitudes over the past 50 years towards those experiencing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, those protections, services and supports are needed now as much as they were then. Deep-rooted misogynistic attitudes towards women and towards domestic abuse and sexual crime remain a blight on our society.

As part of the Government plan to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in all its forms, my Department is leading on the development of the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. To tackle this epidemic, it is vital that we step up our policy response right across Departments and agencies to ensure that the third strategy is the most ambitious yet.

The senseless murder of Ashling Murphy is yet another example of random violence against women. It has drawn comparisons internationally and from our own past, leading to widespread public shock, anger and, indeed, an outpouring of grief. Fear of harassment and violence should never be normalised and no women should have to think about an ever-present threat as they go about their daily lives. We have heard so much about people's feelings on that throughout the day.

The Government and I are doing everything that we can to ensure that people, particularly women and vulnerable people, feel safe and are safe in our societies, and that Government imposes a zero tolerance policy when we are combating domestic and sexual violence against women and girls. Combating all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is and will continue to be a priority for this Government. To tackle this epidemic, as I said, it is vital that we step up our responses and that we have a policy of zero tolerance on violence and abuse against women.

I have been working for the past 12 months on the goals and desired outcomes of the third national strategy, which is due to be finalised in the coming months. Through consultations and seminars, the NGO sector has shaped and informed the drafting so far and a final consultation will be taking place in the coming weeks.

Like many others, I cannot thank enough those working in the sector who have contributed to the development of this strategy, but also for the work they do on a day-to-day basis locally. I commend Sinead Smith and all the team in the Meath Women's Aid Refuge & Support Services and all those working across the country and nationally.

Through these consultations, the sector and the victims have identified priority issues to be addressed and provided expert advice on moving to an outcome focused framework. We are also very conscious that the new strategy should incorporate the voice of the child and we have reached out to child advocate groups to ensure that this critical element is included.

The strategy will be accompanied each year by a detailed action plan setting out how each of these aims will be achieved, who will be responsible for them, the timeframe for delivery and, of course, how it will be underpinned by resources. I will begin the final round of consultation soon so that we can publish the strategy and implementation plan as soon as possible.

With regard to this issue and the overall structure, as the Taoiseach announced, we are developing a plan to bring policy responsibility for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and the delivery of domestic violence services together under the Department of Justice.

A detailed plan for how this will work is in preparation and will be announced shortly. There will of course be oversight from the Department of the Taoiseach. This is to ensure that all Departments deliver, including the Department of Justice. The highest quality of supports and services will also be provided. This includes increasing the number of refuge spaces available nationally to ensure that everyone who needs a space will get it. This certainly means making sure that every county has a refuge and that we expand where they already exist. On resourcing, the Taoiseach has been clear and has confirmed that this will be given the priority it requires.

In the context of other initiatives, my Department has been running a six-year, two-part campaign to raise public awareness of sexual harassment, domestic and sexual violence and intimate image abuse in order to bring about a change in long-established societal behaviours and attitudes, as well as to activate bystanders with a view to reducing and preventing this type of behaviour and violence. The implementation plan, Supporting a Victim's Journey, which is the recommendation from the O'Malley report - which, in itself, was a review of the protections for vulnerable witnesses in the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences - continues to be rolled out. It is introducing important reforms to support and protect vulnerable victims and to ensure that the criminal justice system is more victim-centred and that more women come forward.

To date, a number of key actions have been delivered. I will outline a number of these. We have introduced legislation for preliminary trial hearings and this will be enacted in the coming weeks. The nationwide roll-out of divisional protective service units within An Garda Síochána has been completed. The first cohort of staff of the new sexual offences unit in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions formally took up their roles in April of last year. Work to advance the training for all personnel who come into contact with vulnerable victims is under way within An Garda Síochána, the legal profession and the courts. Funding for NGOs providing courts accompaniment and related information and support services has been increased. A review of grants for organisations supporting victims has been undertaken to try and identify gaps in the service provision right across the country. We have improved the victims charter website, which provides a comprehensive repository of information for victims. The University of Limerick has been commissioned by the Department of Justice to develop the framework for the operation and training of intermediaries. They will soon be engaging with stakeholders to develop this. The purpose of this is to support vulnerable witnesses, including children, as they go through the criminal justice system.

Upon the enactment of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, or as we all know it, Coco's Law, my Department launched an awareness-raising campaign. This will highlight the penalties that are applicable if someone is convicted of sharing an intimate image without consent and draw attention to the harm caused the victim whose intimate image is shared. I thank Deputy Howlin, who is in the Chamber, for his work on that with Jackie Fox.

This year, I will also legislate for the specific offences of non-fatal strangulation and stalking. These offences will be called out. Not only will that send a clear message about how seriously they are taken, but it will help us to understand the extent of the commission of these heinous crimes. I will also strengthen the monitoring and reporting conditions for convicted sex offenders and legislate to give effect to all of the legislative changes recommended in the O'Malley review, further supporting victims in practical ways on their journey through the criminal justice system.

I am not going to oppose the motion. I just repeat what I said earlier. In the spirit of this evening, we can all commit to Ashling, we can commit to each other and we will certainly commit to so many other women to make sure that we dedicate ourselves in order that, along what will be very difficult road, we will work in co-operation to demand zero tolerance for violence and for any kind of abuse of women and girls.

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