Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have had a fantastic debate. Everybody who spoke has a great grasp on what domestic violence means to families around the country. We all know domestic violence wreaks havoc in families on a daily basis in Ireland, but often slips off the political agenda. It is, without doubt, a silent crime and a taboo subject. Often people do not want to speak about it.

The Minister of State referred to funding which has been made available. I know he is not at the Cabinet table, but I urge him to speak to the Minister, Deputy Shatter, about the fact that funding is not adequate. The current level of funding should be retained. The matter will end up back in the lap of the Minister of State because health boards and local authorities are involved when people have nowhere to go. In Kildare, a new refuge centre is waiting to be opened but the doors remain closed. Everything is in place but there is no funding. Last year and earlier this year, 66 adults and 138 children were turned away because the doors are closed. It is an example of the funding shortage.

A study carried out on women who entered refuges found that the top priorities of women were staying safe, information support and housing, making decisions about their lives, healing emotionally and understanding the impact of domestic violence. Unfortunately, there are very few statistics on domestic violence, because it is not a crime on our Statute Book and, on many occasions, solicitors reach agreement on the steps of the courts. Often perpetrators will tell their victims that they know they love him or her, which is a key weakness. Victims do not want to take their partners to court and have their cases highlighted in newspapers, rather they want their partners to change. They did love them and lived with them, and want to return to that.

There is more than just one way of identifying domestic violence. For example, there is psychological abuse. Some people are told every day of the year that they are stupid, thick, worthless and that nobody would want them. One can imagine how that would affect one mentally and how it would destroy one's confidence. Broken bones and black eyes will eventually heal, but psychological abuse can last a lifetime. I know of one woman, who is in receipt of a small pension and has €20 a month to live on, but does not receive a penny from her husband. With that money she has to get her hair done and buy clothes and toiletries. She has lost many friends because she cannot go out for a cup of coffee or to an event. She is a prisoner in her own home.

As I said, the system regarding domestic and sexual violence needs a good overhaul. It is not good enough that the perpetrator of a sexual assault can be given a slap on the back of the hand, told to pay a fine and go home. As a women, I, and I am sure, many of the women here, take such an attitude as an insult. No woman who goes into court and has to give graphic details of a sexual assault does so for money, rather she goes to court for justice and to ensure the perpetrator will never offend again. We have to deal with the issue of money now.

Traditionally, the State and religious organisations have let women and children down. I refer to symphysiotomy, the Magdalen laundries and child sexual abuse. We must not let this issue go on the back burner. We must step up to the plate and make changes in the judicial system now. I do not want others to apologise to people in 30 or 40 years' time because we did not act. Now is the time to act. We have seen what has happened over the years.

During my research on this motion I spoke with many organisations which assist women, and I thank them for their help and co-operation, in particular Safe Ireland, which is represented here today, and Women's Aid, which gave me a lot of help, advice and information. Safe Ireland has done a lot of work on this issue for many years and soon it will present its findings and proposals to overhaul the system to an Oireachtas committee. I ask that we all wait until that happens, and row in behind them if we agree with them to ensure the proposals are brought to fruition.

I thank all Senators who supported the motion and contributed to the debate. The issue has been dealt with sensitively and with the integrity it deserves. I trust the Minister of State will take all the sentiments expressed in the debate to the Minister.