Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy and agree the review is extremely important. The person in question was commissioned to do this review first. Subsequently, the other person in question passed away and this person was asked to complete that. It took much longer than anybody thought it would. Without saying names or getting into details it took much longer to do the familicide study. Anybody who has looked at the report will see the magnitude of work involved in that. Yes, a decision could have been taken to make that change but it was my understanding at multiple points that we would actually be finished the familicide review much earlier. What is positive is that a huge body of work has been done. It is a matter now for a new person to put the report together. A lot of work has happened and I myself have engaged with members of An Garda Síochána who are solely working in this area.

It is to understand where the law is working and where it is not. The review itself will consider whether further changes need to be made. I am aware that the issue of brothel-keeping comes up. Internationally, it has been shown that the legalisation of activities does not necessarily result in the protection of the most vulnerable. The Deputy will agree that the sole objective of the legislation is to protect the women at the heart of this matter, who are extremely vulnerable and who in most instances are doing what they do against their will or are trafficked and do not have a say in what is happening to them.

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