Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last week, the Taoiseach told us he will play a key role in ensuring departmental delivery on the commitments to end domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, and I welcome that. One of the most urgent actions required to address Ireland's failure in this area is our obligations under the Istanbul Convention on Domestic Violence, in particular refuge places. A report published by Safe Ireland during the pandemic found that, on average, seven requests every day for refuge went unmet because of a lack of capacity. We know there are nine counties with no capacity at all in this jurisdiction.

This week, Tusla confirmed to my colleague, Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne, that the refuge and safe home capacity has increased by just four places over the past seven years. Where there is no route out of domestic violence, victims and their children are very often left with no option but to go back to an abusive and violent partner. The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, wrote to me on 16 December to confirm he intended to bring the completed Tusla review of accommodation for victims of domestic violence to Cabinet in early January. He said the review would be published at the same time and that all stakeholders would be briefed by Tusla.

However, yesterday I was informed by the Minister that the review will not now be published this month as promised and that the timing of its publication is now only being considered by the Minister for Justice. This is an unacceptable delay. The publication of this review, which has now been completed, should not be contingent on the publication of the third strategy. The Minister also informed me he met the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice on 18 January to discuss the response of the Government to domestic and gender-based violence and to ensure prompt advancement of his actions. Did the Taoiseach agree to the delay of the publication of the Tusla review at this meeting? If so, what was his rationale for that? I know this is a very bad decision. We need to see the review and I urge the Taoiseach to ensure it is published without any further delay.

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