Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Sinn Féin for giving us the opportunity and proper time to debate this important matter of women’s rights and protection. I want to commiserate with and convey my heartfelt sympathies to the family of Ashling Murphy, and to her boyfriend, friends, class and extended musical family all over the country. It was such a terrible act and no words can describe it. It was horrible, dreadful, terrible and unacceptable. It is awful to think that thugs can carry out these kinds of depraved acts and kill a beautiful girl like this who had so many things going for her. Then we hear of all the other things but you could not say they are lesser because it is unacceptable to treat women or girls badly. We have to strengthen our laws on women and the protection of young girls and I am glad the Minister and the Government are of a mind to do that. Youngsters must be educated on what they cannot and should not do and on what is right. It must start at an early age. I mention refuge accommodation for women. Girls should be able to walk, run or do whatever they want to do wherever they want without being interfered with or assaulted, and certainly without being killed.

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