Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The death of Ashling Murphy has united communities throughout Ireland. It is probably only in recent days that the realisation of her loss has begun to settle in her community and county of Offaly. I offer my sincere condolences to her family. What happened in Tullamore two weeks ago has brought about an incredible sense of national solidarity. We must also be respectful of the fact that many other communities have experienced similar losses and shocks over the years.

However, the tide has changed strongly and our communities have come together to say that enough is enough. We want and need a zero tolerance approach to violence against women. This will require all of us as a society to commit to lasting change. We need to ensure our communities feel safe and that people of all ages can go about their business without fear for their personal safety. We need sufficient supports and services available throughout the country, appropriate legislation, an effective policing response and a cultural shift within our society.

We all know there is no single solution to ending domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Tackling it will require a multifaceted approach, with genuine engagement and partnership. I am confident the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, is leading the way in developing and implementing an all-of-government strategy to prevent and counter violence against women. I look forward to working with colleagues in the House to make sure we can reach that end goal.

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