Gabrielle McFadden (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would not take it from my children so I do not think I would take it from a grown adult. The UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women will be held on 25 November - less than two weeks away. To coincide with this day, Safe Ireland, whose headquarters is in Athlone, will host a national conference in Westport. The theme of the conference is safe homes, safe communities. Safe Ireland constantly challenges us to imagine an Ireland where women and children are free from domestic violence and asks us to dare to dream that we could rear a generation without exposure to violence or abuse. This conference is not just for women or survivors of abuse. It is for everybody, especially policymakers.

I have raised the issue of domestic violence on several occasions in this House and elsewhere . This Government, the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, have done more than anyone else in the past 30 years to tackle domestic violence on a legislative basis, but while legislation is vitally important, societal change is often more about changing attitudes than changing laws. While we need to build a strategy to make real change in how we respond effectively to violence and abuse in our homes and communities, each of us needs to examine our own attitudes and actions towards women and children and indeed people in general. Whether it is a tweet that reinforces negative attitudes to women or the blatant misogyny of various individuals and organisations in our society, we must be conscious and aware that the extreme behaviour we have seen in recent tragic cases such as that of Ana Kriégel and many similar cases has its genesis in the everyday undermining of the value of women. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all of us as representatives and members of society to be part of the solution.

I ask that people from here consider attending this conference in Westport. I think people have a lot to learn and a lot could be learned at this conference. I ask the Leader to put it out through his colleagues that this conference is being held on 25 November. It would be a very worthwhile exercise for everybody. I also ask people leaving here today to ask themselves what they have done to counter negative attitudes to women and people in general.