Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very serious issue for us as a society. The level and scale of domestic violence is shocking and unacceptable. The funding will be provided to deal with it. Tusla will soon publish its review of the provision of accommodation for victims of domestic violence. This will assist in developing a plan to address the shortfall of adequate refuge provision and the building of centres. The Minister for Justice, as we said last week, is bringing to a conclusion a national strategy to combat domestic violence, sexual violence and gender-based violence. That should be ready by early March. It will focus on prevention, protection, prosecution and co-ordinated policies. The Minister will lead the policy and the development of services.

We want to streamline the provision of centres in particular in terms of capital and current provision. Zero tolerance for domestic violence is the object of the strategy. This involves the provision, which I acknowledge is not there in some counties. Under the Cabinet committee that I will chair we will follow through on meeting the objectives that have been set and that will emerge from the Tusla review, and in terms of making sure we can do it in a more streamlined, faster and more effective manner. Resources will not be the issue in getting this developed.

There will also be a strong legislative arm to this. The Minister is creating a new criminal offence of stalking, which Senator Lisa Chambers has been progressing with others in the Seanad. The Minister and Senator Chambers are working together on this and on non-fatal strangulation. A new hate crime Bill will be published by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, in the summer. This will introduce new specific aggravated offences with enhanced penalties for crimes motivated by prejudice against certain characteristics, including gender. The Minister will also publish a new sexual offences Bill involving many important changes. The Minister will shortly sign an order to bring into operation the Criminal Procedure Act 2021, allowing for pretrial hearings that will reduce delays in the trial process that might re-traumatise victims. I reassure the Deputy this is getting top priority from the Government and will continue to do so.

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