John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join others in extending my sympathies to the family, boyfriend and friends of Ashling Murphy and, indeed, other female victims of violence not just in the recent past but over many years. I agree with those who have welcomed the detailed set of proposals that the Minister, Deputy McEntee, wishes to introduce with the help and support of both Houses of the Oireachtas to deal with some of those matters. I will limit myself to a couple of issues.

I listened to last week's debate and I listened to Deputies Bruton and Whitmore earlier today. The issues around violence against women fall into many different categories. Deputy Whitmore mentioned the casual sexism that we all see from time to time in social groups, in social media groups, on the bar stool or wherever. We certainly need to adopt a zero tolerance approach to that. More institutionalised versions of this exist within various types of organisations and in workplaces.

On the issue of violent crime, I ask the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to look strongly at the issue of sentencing. I have spoken about this previously in the House. On a fairly regular basis, we see instances of men who are convicted of some of the most heinous acts against women, sometimes involving sexual assault or very violent assaults, not receiving custodial sentences. They receive suspended sentences or other orders. That type of sentencing system cannot remain in place. It is time for the Government, with the support of both Houses, to act to ensure sentences for such offences are much stronger.

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