Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Coppinger as díospóireacht a thabhairt chun cinn ar an gceist thábhachtach seo mar caithfimid deireadh a chur le foréigean in aghaidh mná agus cailíní. I thank the movers of this motion, particularly Deputy Coppinger, who has an unimpeachable record on this issue. I also welcome the guests to the Public Gallery.

Tackling violence against women and girls must be a priority across our society. Every day, women and girls face violence in the form of domestic and sexual abuse, stalking, harassment and intimidation. Figures that were revealed by the Minister for Justice to me last week showed that the number of emergency calls made to An Garda Síochána reporting domestic abuse rose from over 44,000 in 2020 to over 65,000 last year. Hundreds of women have died violently in Ireland. Many were killed in their own homes. Most were killed by a man known to them. Some 274 women have died violently in this State since 1996. As we look at these figures, women will rightly wonder how much has really been achieved in the years since the Government's so-called zero tolerance strategy was announced because women do not feel safe and often they are not safe. We have to do better in preventing domestic and gender-based violence. We have to do better in terms of supporting victims of such violence towards getting them to safety and rebuilding their lives. We have to do better in ensuring that victims of gender-based violence get the justice they deserve in a timely manner that does not compound their trauma. It is crucial that Cuan, the new statutory Government agency that is dedicated to tackling and reducing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, is provided with the resources needed to do its job, particularly in the area of prevention. The Government also needs to ensure that An Garda Síochána and the justice system have the resources and the training to better deal with these issues and violent attacks. We know the long delays in our courts prevent survivors from rebuilding their lives.

I hear what our previous speakers have said, but domestic violence refuge centres often represent the only place where those experiencing domestic violence can find safety. There are still far too many places, including counties Cavan and Monaghan, with no refuge at all. The figures for domestic violence for the Cavan, Monaghan and Louth region also revealed to me by the Minister last week reinforced the demand for urgency with regard to opening domestic violence refuges in both Cavan and Monaghan. These figures show that this region has the highest number of calls outside of the Dublin region. The reason that is important is because when women present, sometimes they feel they have nowhere to present to other than to their local TDs office, which in itself is a scandal because we have to deal with people giving their most intimate, private details in a setting that is not appropriate. They ask directly what their options are. Oftentimes, they are left with the conclusion themselves, having dealt with all the statutory agencies, that the option provided to them is either to make themselves homeless or to return back. The lack of availability of affordable housing is one of the greatest barriers and challenges for women and children who are victims or survivors of domestic abuse. It also means that women and children are often forced to remain in refuges for longer than is needed, and in some cases the option of returning to the abuser is actively considered. In previous, very tragic cases, this is what happened. Supporting the long-term housing needs, therefore, of survivors of domestic violence must be given the priority that it deserves.

In dealing with the issues of domestic and gender-based violence, it is also important that we listen to the survivors of rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence. We need to listen to them particularly regarding their experience of the justice system. Survivors of rape, sexual assault and domestic violence and their families have raised a number of very important issues which need to be dealt with by the Oireachtas as a matter of urgency. I will be proposing that the incoming justice committee when it is established actually meets with survivors who have contacted us in advance of today's debate because there are clearly a number of areas where legislative changes are required, including dealing with the retraumatising impact of victims' counselling notes being disclosed in rape and sexual assault cases, the blocking of parental and inheritance rights for those who kill their spouses, and the need to create a domestic violence register. It is also clear from the survivors that the disclosure of counselling notes shown at trial severely compounds their trauma. The commitment in the programme for Government to deal with this has to be fast-tracked. If the Government is intent on fast-tracking it, this side of the House will accommodate it.

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