Dáil debates

Thursday, 21 October 2021

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Domestic Violence

11:10 am

Photo of Jennifer Murnane O'ConnorJennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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87. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the enhanced supports Budget 2022 will provide to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51655/21]

Photo of Jennifer Murnane O'ConnorJennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate being able to raise this important issue with the Minister for Justice, Deputy Humphreys. Domestic violence continues to be a pervasive problem in our society. Nearly 15% of women between the ages of 18 and 74 have experienced physical and sexual violence in their lifetime and nearly 31% have experienced psychological violence. Could the Minister outline the enhanced supports that budget 2022 will provide to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence?

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am aware that she is particularly interested in it.

The Government is committed to tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in all its forms and to supporting victims of this heinous crime. My Department provides funding to support the work of An Garda Síochána to combat such violence. It also provides funding to promote and assist the development of specific support services for victims of crime within the criminal justice system, which includes victims of domestic and sexual crime.

The commitment of the Government to combatting domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and supporting victims is reflected in the funding allocated under budget 2022, with a total of €13 million allocated to my Department for this. This represents an increased allocation of €5.35 million and will enable us to roll out specific awareness-raising and training programmes to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

It will also allow us to provide additional supports to NGOs and specific domestic violence intervention programmes and it will support several front-line activities. As part of this, an additional €1.1 million will be used to put in place a legal advice and legal aid service in court for victims of sexual violence and €1 million is being provided to the Garda Vote to refurbish and upgrade the divisional protective service units, DPSUs, which will allow us to better support and protect vulnerable victims.

The Deputy will be aware that my Department is leading the development across government of the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. This plan will outline how the Government will radically improve services and supports for victims and will be the most ambitious plan to date. My Department is also implementing Supporting a Victim’s Journey, our plan to help victims and vulnerable witnesses in sexual violence cases, which was published by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, last year. It will reform the criminal justice system.

11:20 am

Photo of Jennifer Murnane O'ConnorJennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the overall funding of more than €30 million to help tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, including an extra €1 million to improve An Garda Síochána divisional protective service units. The DPSUs are now in every Garda division and deliver a consistent and professional approach to the investigation of sexual crime, child abuse and domestic abuse. As the Minister is aware, the increased incidence of domestic violence this year is not exclusive to my constituency of Carlow, although I have raised the incidence there in the House several times. More than 3,000 extra incidents have been reported during the pandemic. As such, we need better investigation of crime. What is the status of the plan which is to be published in the coming weeks? What is the status of the ongoing reforms under the Supporting a Victim's Journey plan to help victims and vulnerable witnesses in sexual violence cases?

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I commend the Minister and the Department on the supports they are providing in this area, but I put it to her that it is quite often the case that when court cases occur, which is often a long time after the events in question, the victims are retraumatised and there is further need at that stage for support and counselling. I ask the Minister to take that request on board and revert to me regarding what can be done in that regard.

Photo of Jennifer Carroll MacNeillJennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for her response. This morning, I spoke to a woman experiencing coercive control. She told me of the difficulties she is having in that regard that continue to follow her through the family law system. The use of the family law system by perpetrators of abuse to continue to exercise control is something about which we have to be really concerned. I ask that where awareness and training is provided, that it be made available to family law judges, solicitors and others working in the family law system as much as the very welcome protective services units. I ask the Minister to concentrate on that in the context of the strategy and its delivery. That would be very helpful.

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As I stated, we have secured increased funding under budget 2022 to continue the progress made in our work to support the victims of crime and to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. In the past year, we have already delivered several key actions to make the criminal justice system more victim-centred and to improve how we support and protect vulnerable victims, including the introduction of preliminary trial hearings and the roll-out of the divisional protective services unit. The Garda has told me the unit is very effective because its members have been trained and have the expertise to deal with victims of violence. It is important that the victims get that service. I refer to the first cohort of staff at the new sexual offences unit in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions formally taking up their roles, as well as advancing the work to ensure training for all personnel who come into contact with vulnerable victims, increasing funding for NGOs and providing court accompaniment and related information and support services. A review of grants to organisations supporting victims has been undertaken. There is a significant amount of work ongoing in this area.

Photo of Jennifer Murnane O'ConnorJennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister. I do appreciate these developments, which are most welcome. It is further great news that Safe Ireland and Airbnb have announced the launch of a domestic violence survivor fund backed by a €350,000 donation from Airbnb. The fund will provide grants to women and children who are escaping abuse. Cash and a place to stay are vital supports. When will we see such support in the private sector? The Government is partnering with the NGO sector to develop a new strategy to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, which was to be published by Christmas. I ask the Minister to address that issue.

I refer to the provision of a women's refuge for Carlow. It is an issue about which I am really passionate. I have been constantly calling for extra gardaí for Carlow Garda station because we need them. Carlow Women's Aid, which is a great organisation, is looking for staff. We have great initiatives and services in Carlow but we need extra funding and services. All of them, working together, will sort out the issues that need to be addressed.

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is correct that we need everybody to work together. That is what makes a difference and provides results. As regards a refuge centre for Carlow-Kilkenny, the accommodation review that I understand Tusla is finalising has examined the current level of refuge provision, evidence of demand for services and unmet need. It has also done an analysis of proximity to refuges by local communities. The findings of the review and the recommendations of the monitoring committee of the second national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence will inform the future decisions of the Government and Tusla on priority areas for investment and development of services. This includes consideration of areas that may lack an existing service infrastructure and may require future refuge development. I know this is an issue about which the Deputy is very passionate, as are the other speakers this morning.

The DPSU in Carlow-Kilkenny has been operational since 7 January 2019. There were 411 reported incidents in 2020, compared with 447 incidents reported up to and including 18 October this year. I know Carlow has experienced an increase in reports of domestic abuse. It is something the Government is absolutely committed to acting on.