Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is lovely to see a woman, Deputy Verona Murphy, in the Chair for this debate. I wish her and everybody in the House a happy International Women's Day. I also acknowledge one of the male parliamentarians in these Houses, Senator Mark Daly. Today sees the historic unveiling of busts of two trailblazers in this country, former Presidents Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese. I have sat on the paintings and portraits committee for the past two and a half years with Senator Mark Daly and he has been forging the way for female representation around the walls of these corridors of power, ensuring we are represented, looking at our history and ensuring it continues. I thank him for that.

I am going to use my speaking time to talk about domestic violence and I will bring it back to my constituency. However, I also acknowledge the work of Ms Mary McDermott of Safe Ireland, who I am sure has knocked on the Minister's door many times. I particularly acknowledge her publication of Safe Place: Designing Centres for Domestic Violence Prevention and Response. Ms McDermott thinks with her heart as much as her head. She is very passionate about these issues. She has done an enormous amount of work. There are nine counties across this country that still do not have a safe haven for women who find themselves in those situations. There is a blueprint we can all follow in Safe Ireland's Safe Place publication.

The programme for Government acknowledged that there is an epidemic in domestic, homophobic and gender-based violence. I believe there needs to be a more integrated approach to combating domestic violence. The programme for Government is committed to the development of a domestic violence prevention strategy. We need to ensure that the response results in an integrated approach to combat domestic violence rather than compartmentalising it in different parts of the State. We also need to ensure that sufficient funding is available to maintain or establish domestic violence shelters or homes in every county so that women, their children and families will have an option of available and safe accommodation when they are exposed to domestic violence. At present, there are only 140 emergency beds across the country. I believe we should have at least 400 beds and that our local authorities should work with service providers to provide accommodation, and particularly in the nine counties where there are no shelters.

I acknowledge and commend the work of the Garda, which plays a central role in combating violence against women, particularly domestic violence. The divisional protective service units with the Garda should be fully resourced and trained to combat the crime of domestic violence. Increased visibility of gardaí in policing certain criminal activities has a strong deterrent effect and we should take the same approach in policing domestic violence across our country.

As the Minister is aware, I have campaigned since I arrived in the Dáil for services and protection for women across the Cavan-Monaghan constituency. The Department and Tusla have agreed to make available a number of beds and to provide the necessary funding.

I acknowledge the work of a team I have pulled together on this issue. I acknowledge the work they have done and their commitment to providing and delivering services across Cavan and Monaghan. I thank Mr. Aidan O'Reilly and Ms Deirdre Snoek from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Ms Joan Mullan from Tusla; Ms Mary McDermott, CEO of Safe Ireland; Ms Siobhán McKenna from Tearmann domestic violence services in Monaghan, who has done Trojan work for the past two decades or more to protect women and provide them with a service and safe place to go. I also thank the chief superintendent in Cavan-Monaghan and the Louth Garda division, Alan McGovern; Garda inspector Niall McKiernan; and, of course, our housing authority directors of services, Mr. Niall O'Connor at Monaghan County Council and Ms Bridie McBrearty at Cavan County Council; and Ms Valerie Everard of Tusla, who is also the lead person around this issue in the Cavan-Monaghan area. They have been hugely committed. We have met on regular occasions. I believe we can deliver on providing safe havens for women.

Sadly, and not unlike many other counties, we have had horrendous and horrific cases of violence against women and children, some of which have been fatal. I wish to ensure that in the near future, by which I mean the coming months and not five or ten years, because it is needed now more than ever, we have such a service. I know that both Cavan and Monaghan County Councils are committed. They have been looking for sites which have now been identified. Through the team comprising me, Tusla and Safe Ireland, we can do that work.

I thank the Minister for the work he has done in this area because I know he has been committed to it. I ask him to put his full weight and support behind delivering that service across counties Cavan and Monaghan.

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