Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

I am not justifying what happened. I have made that clear. Certainly, in her time in government, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, did a lot of work as Minister for Justice in respect of domestic violence and gender-based violence. We now have the establishment of Cuan and the new strategy, which I strongly supported as chair of an interdepartmental Cabinet subcommittee, as Taoiseach at the time. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, is continuing that and is bringing in further measures and allocating further resources to this area, in terms of a zero-tolerance approach to domestic violence. We do not prosecute in this House. We have a separation of powers in respect of the criminal justice system. It is not within my powers to revoke particular awards but certainly it is a matter on which we will reflect. I am not in a position to commit to any line of action in respect of this. I think it is a fair matter to raise. There has to be zero tolerance of domestic violence and gender-based violence more generally.

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