Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I tend to look at these things positively. I regard the opportunity to establish the agency as a really positive step in a process that I know the Minister is extremely serious about. Violence against women in this State is reaching an epidemic level. In this regard, I would go even further than the witness from IHREC who appeared before the justice committee. I was very pleased to hear the Minister say she believes she will have a draft Bill for consideration in the coming months.

That is absolutely imperative. We all must play our part in ensuring this scourge is eradicated insofar as we can do so. Funding the agency and consulting with the NGOs are particularly welcome steps to which the Minister has agreed. I have been engaging with several stakeholders in my constituency and in Dublin city. They are enthusiastic about the establishment of the agency.

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