Lorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Even though domestic homicides have outpaced gangland murders by almost 2:1 in recent years, they have generated far less commentary, far less media coverage and far less attention than gangland crime. The Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, said at the weekend that gardaí respond to approximately 30,000 domestic incident calls each year. This equates to between 500 and 600 such calls each week. Given that domestic abuse is characterised by silence, I suspect that these figures are the tip of the iceberg and that far more domestic violence and domestic abuse is occurring in Irish homes.Between 2016 and 2018, there were 40 domestic homicides. During the same period, which was bloody in the context of gangland crime, there were only 26 gangland related homicides. While I do not mean to diminish that lower figure, we should be focusing on domestic violence and homicides within the home much more. These figures are very stark.

The offence of coercive control was added to the Statute Book a couple of years ago. Initially, the Government was not in favour of that move but it will significantly help people who are in abusive situations. However, more education is needed in order to highlight the signs of coercive control, not just for the Garda but also for people working in schools, health facilities and communities. They all need to know the signs of coercive control and we need a wider public discussion on what constitutes such control. We need to know how to spot it and we need to teach children in school what it is so that when they grow up and enter relationships, they will be able to identify it from an early stage.

That leads me on to the need for a serious discussion on the progress of the promised family law complex at Hammond Lane. I have raised this issue on a number of occasions since my election to the Seanad. Last October, the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality recommended that funding be allocated as a matter of urgency in order to allow this complex to be built. A coalition of 11 groups has formed Courting Disaster, which was launched in Dublin earlier today. The 11 groups involved in the coalition are: Barnardos; the Children's Rights Alliance; Community Law & Mediation; the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre; the Family Lawyers Association of Ireland; Free Legal Advice Centres; the National Women's Council of Ireland; One Family; the Council of the Bar of Ireland; the Law Society of Ireland; and Women's Aid. This coalition was established to seek action on the delivery of the family law complex at Hammond Lane. Some of the most vulnerable people in society are accessing the courts and are seeking their help in resolving some serious issues in the context of access, maintenance, custody and childcare and their protection in cases of domestic violence.

The family law courts are unfit for purpose. They are really in a bad state and I say that as someone who was a practising family lawyer until recently. There are no meeting spaces and there is no privacy for people. We have a huge hole in the ground near the Four Courts in respect of which action and delivery are needed. That is not mention what is happening in the context of the District Court and the sittings thereof in towns, such as Swords and Balbriggan, in the constituency in which I live. The courthouses in those locations have completely inadequate facilities and the people working there are meeting their clients on the streets in the rain. I raised this issue last December after a judge was held hostage in the family law court and a man threatened to use an explosive device. Four years ago, at the same time of year, a judge was assaulted in Dolphin House. This lack of facilities is causing great distress. Family law proceedings are held in camera. They are often forgotten and they are certainly forgotten by this Government. We need action now and we need that family law complex delivered.