Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising such an important issue. Unfortunately, Covid-19 has highlighted this as an issue, although it existed long before now. I have said many times that while we have been asked to stay at home and home is a sanctuary for us, it is anything but that for others. It has placed additional pressure on individuals and, in particular, victims of domestic sexual violence.

This is a priority for me. Covid-19 has created unprecedented challenges, particularly for those experiencing domestic abuse and the front-line organisations that provide the support and services. At the outset, my Department developed an inter-agency plan to address and prioritise tackling domestic abuse during the pandemic. It is now leading efforts to try to identify lessons that can be learned. While the work is ongoing, we are trying to ensure we can learn lessons from everything we are doing. Domestic abuse cases continue to be prioritised by the Garda, the Courts Service and the Legal Aid Board. The courts continue to deal with applications to renew domestic violence orders that are due to expire and to put in place arrangements to deal with matters remotely. Under Operation Faoiseamh in the Garda Síochána, gardaí are working to ensure victims of domestic abuse are supported and protected at this time. The Senator will be aware of the work being done in County Meath by Garda Stacey Looby and others to highlight domestic violence and to raise funds for vital organisations locally. In this area, I welcome recent convictions for coercive control. This is something we have seen for the first time in the past few months. I hope that as more convictions follow, others will feel confident to come forward and tell their story.

Through the Still Here campaign, my Department is working with front-line service providers, continuing to tell them that services are still available regardless of the level of restrictions and, in particular, that restrictions on movement do not apply to people seeking help as a result of domestic abuse. We will continue to convey that message, and I stress it today. We are also providing Covid-specific funding to organisations working in the area of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence to help during this difficult time. That is separate from funding that would normally be provided for these organisations.

How we best provide for the physical and emotional needs of victims into the future is an absolute priority. The Justice Plan 2021, which I launched a few months ago, is a detailed action plan for delivering our five high-level goals. One of these goals is to strengthen community safety, reduce re-offending and support victims and to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. One of the key actions being undertaken is an audit, which the Senator mentioned, of how domestic, sexual and gender-based violence policy and services are organised under the Government. This work, together with the audit of accommodation, is being undertaken by Tusla and work is being done to implement the "Supporting A Victim's Journey" plan. All three of these will provide the analysis that is necessary to ensure we address any gaps in our national approach and to ensure that it is effective and, most importantly, victim-centred. The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, and I met the auditors last week and we look forward to receiving the report shortly.

I will refer to a few points the Senator mentioned. Under the "Supporting A Victim's Journey" plan, I met the implementation group and the community and voluntary sector last week. The Senator raised a point regarding family courts, namely, that civil and criminal proceedings often take place at the same time when there is no connection between them. We are very conscious of that and would like to address it but it is difficult. For the reasons outlined by the Senator, we need to ensure those two elements of the courts speak to each other and there is engagement between the group implementing the Supporting a Victim's Journey report and the family justice oversight group, which is doing substantial work to try to overhaul the family justice structure.

With regard to An Garda Síochána training, the gardaí involved in the divisional service protective units, all of which have been rolled out, have all received their training. Work is under way to ensure all members of An Garda Síochána receive updated training on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

We are working on a model that would see organisations receive funding on a multiannual basis. This is part of the task of mapping a victim's journey, where we identified what supports are available, how they are being provided, where there are gaps and how we can provide further funding and support for these organisations to increase funding. This will obviously require a commitment of longer than one year, which is why we are looking at multiannual funding. I will come back on this.