Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank everybody who contributed to the debate. The Minister correctly identified that changing cultures and institutions is not easy and takes time. We know that. That is why it is so frustrating that the relatively easy first steps, such as updating and introducing regulations, simply have not been done. If the Government is not willing to do the easy stuff, how on earth can we have any confidence that it will tackle the bigger issues?

I am glad the Government is not opposing the motion but we know that is completely meaningless when there is no commitment to urgently looking at the regulation of taxis, dentists, counselling services and landlords who are demanding sex in lieu of rent. The list goes on.

I will ask again about taxi regulation because I was not clear what the Minister was committing to. Is she saying there is a review of taxi regulations in their entirety or not? Yesterday, the Taoiseach indicated that there would be. I understand the Minister said that the frequency of Garda vetting is under review, which I welcome because as it stands, that only takes place every five years. When drivers receive convictions, it is up to them to notify the Garda when there is clearly very little incentive for them to do so. It is important that this is reviewed as quickly as possible. We also need a broader review to ensure the offences that lead to the disqualification of taxi licences are comprehensive and up to date. We must examine the issue of the suspension of licences in cases where a licence holder has been charged with a serious crime.

The Minister's response in respect of the Defence Forces prompts me to say that this Government has a habit of talking in riddles. The reality is that there are serving members of the Defence Forces who have been convicted of crimes similar to that of Cathal Crotty, but the difference is that they are still in uniform. What is the Government going to do about that? It is going to wait for a review from a senior counsel, apparently. Why is the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence not asking why these personnel have not been sacked? It is blatantly a double standard. Doing the right thing in the glare of the media spotlight is one thing but all too often, the Defence Forces do not do the right thing when they think no one is looking. I am hopeful that as an institution, the Defence Forces will change but they need to provide us with evidence of this reform agenda.

Crucially, the Tánaiste should to not have to appoint a senior counsel to ensure that there is some kind of consistency in terms of who is suspended.

We all know that the prevalence of violent misogyny in Ireland is overwhelming. In every village, town and city across the country there are people experiencing sexual and domestic violence every day. The horrific statistic from Women's Aid has been mentioned a lot in this Chamber in recent weeks. There were over 40,000 reports of domestic violence last year.  Each one of those reports represents a woman in horrific circumstances. The constant fear and abuse that women are experiencing has a devastating impact on their lives. Women are reporting isolation, hopelessness, miscarriages, suicidal ideation, poverty and homelessness. I recognise that the Minister has done work in this area. However, the blunt reality is that women who experience domestic and sexual violence are still being failed by the State at every single step.

Women and families fleeing situations of domestic violence do not have sufficient refuge spaces in which to seek safety. They literally have nowhere to go. There are nine counties still without refuge spaces. Many refuges have been operating at a 100% capacity rate for years. The Minister says that this is an issue she is working on. I recognise that but if this was really being treated as an emergency by all of Government, those spaces would be available now. The fact that women in violent situations literally have nowhere to go is not evidence of a zero-tolerance approach.

Last week, Bláthnaid Raleigh waved her right to anonymity after Jonathan Moran, the man who raped her, was sentenced to eight years.  She has highlighted one of the most horrific aspects of how victims are treated in the courts, with their counselling notes being obtained during the trial process. She said, "I don't have any access to any counselling notes he has or any of his GP notes.  All of this is very one-sided and it all just adds to the trauma".  This is a perfect example of how our justice system treats the victims as if they are on trial. The Minister has said it is something she is working on. I welcome that, but how is it taking this long? This practice is going to continue until the law is changed. It is something which is, again, the sole responsibility of Government.

Again and again we see this pattern of women forced to speak publicly about their trauma before we see any kind of change. The women who came forward from the FAI are incredibly brave, as are Natasha O'Brien, Bláthnaid Raleigh, the Women of Honour and so many more in their pursuit of justice, but they should not have to bare their souls and their trauma to the world in order to receive justice. For the women who came forward and spoke so bravely, we must not fail them and other women again. I do not think speaking about a zero-tolerance approach without matching it with necessary actions is acceptable. People accept that cultural and societal issues take time, but we know that there are issues that can be addressed immediately. If the Government does not do that, it is fair to say people will not have confidence that it will address the overarching, bigger and more cultural and societal issues too.

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