Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Today is international day for the elimination of violence against women. This is against the backdrop of reports where we have learned that one in eight women suffers violence during pregnancy and that one in five women who are in an intimate relationship suffers violence. Domestic violence did not go away during the lockdown, where one might have thought it may have. This shows that a huge amount of violence is happening within people's homes. Today the director of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Noeline Blackwell, stated that an "epidemic" of sexual violence has been going on in Ireland for the past two decades. Obviously, we need proper resources, including proper resourcing of women's refuge centres, for which there is a huge demand during lockdown. Nearly half a dozen women have been on to me who could not get a place in a refuge.

If they do get a place the women have a struggle to continue on. Leaving a relationship is hugely difficult. Not only do the women need places in refuges they also need the resources to continue on, including counselling support and housing so they can leave abusive relationships.

This is also against the backdrop of anecdotal stories yesterday of the school in Carlow telling young girls how to dress. This has been denied but it feels as though we are slipping backwards when it comes to women's rights and women's welfare. We really need to put our money where our mouths are. We possibly need to have a dedicated Minister, not necessarily just for women's rights, but this area needs to be funded properly because domestic violence has not gone away. It remains very prevalent.