Lorraine Clifford-Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for bringing Denmark's Constitution Day to our attention. I note that the first recorded Viking raid in Ireland happened on Lambay Island off the coast of Portrane in north County Dublin in 795 AD. Lambay Island has a mystical quality. I look at it every day, and it is a real touchpoint for everyone in north County Dublin. There were many Viking settlers across north County Dublin and I am probably descended from some of those Viking raiders. We should definitely forge greater links with our Nordic neighbours as I believe we have a great deal in common with them.

Today, I wish to raise the public consultation which the Department of Justice with its partners in Safe Ireland and the National Women's Council of Ireland have launched with regard to the new national domestic, sexual and gender-based violence strategy that is being developed by the Department of Justice. It is very fitting, given the impact of the pandemic on women.The incidence of serious domestic assault in the home has risen by 23% during the pandemic. We were all asked to stay at home but for many people, home is not safe. We should all encourage people in the constituencies in which we live and community groups in our areas to take part in the online survey. A number of online seminars will be held on this issue. We should all feed into this really important strategy. The Government needs to do more and this strategy will help to address the very serious issues. We need more refuges, better access to legal aid and better supports, education and training in communities. It is a really important issue. I encourage everybody here to highlight the public consultation process and get involved in it.