Gabrielle McFadden (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Obviously. I concur with the remarks of Senator Conway-Walsh regarding the Safe Ireland conference. Yesterday was UN International Day for the Elimination of Domestic Violence against Women. The conference, which was held in Westport, was exceptionally good. What I took away from it is that we need to have a whole-of-Government approach to domestic violence. I was struck when I heard victims state that the first point of contact for a person when he or she first admits that he or she is struggling or being abused does not have to be an organisation charged with responsibility for looking after people suffering as a result of domestic violence. That point of contact could be an official of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection or a local authority housing official. The point was made yesterday that, along with An Garda Síochána, everybody in these areas should be trained to take statements, help women - and, in some cases, men - and ensure that they say what is right and listen to victims.

It is important that we would have a whole-of-Government approach in respect of this matter. That approach would not necessarily have to be led by the Department of Justice and Equality. I ask the Leader to use his good offices in the context of identifying which Department should take the lead. Perhaps the Department to the Taoiseach should do so, but with all other Departments get involved. That one in four women will have suffered abuse from their spouse at some point in their lives is striking. While there have been improvements through the years, domestic violence has not stopped. We should be brave enough to have a conversation on this issue. Perhaps, as I suggested, the Department of the Taoiseach could take the lead on this.