Aideen Hayden (Labour) | Oireachtas source

No matter what one thinks about the various exchanges that have occurred between Members of this House and members of the journalistic profession, an important issue has been raised, namely, the lack of coverage this House receives for the serious business it conducts. I again pay tribute to the former correspondent of The Irish Times, Jimmy Walsh. At least when he was here we got some credit for the work we do.

I raise the matter of violence against women. In May 2011, the Council of Europe convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence opened for signature. Out of the 47 states of the Council of Europe, Ireland is one of a minority of 18 countries that have not signed the convention. The sad fact is that one in five Irish women have been subjected to domestic violence. Safe Ireland reports that in 2011 alone close to 8,000 individual women and more than 3,000 children received support from domestic violence support services. Today, at the launch of its annual report, Women's Aid announced there had been an increase of 50% in the reporting of child abuse to its helpline. This is a very serious matter. Thousands of Irish women and children are experiencing violence on a daily basis in this country. It is unacceptable that Ireland has not ratified the convention. I ask the Cathaoirleach and the Leader to communicate with the higher echelons of this Government, in particular the Minister for Justice and Equality, to ask him to sign the convention before Ireland's EU Presidency ends within the next month.