Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Hear, hear. I agree with the Cathaoirleach's sentiments.

Today is day 1 of 16 days of action against gender-based violence. For the next 16 days, I urge Senators as basic humans, as legislators, as parents and as sisters or brothers to consider how we can act at an individual level to eradicate gender-based violence. They say that domestic violence has been the shadow pandemic for the past two years, but gender-based violence was simply more hidden before Covid. It reached breaking point during Covid and people could take no more. We must remember that the people and families that were tortured by domestic violence were tortured before Covid as well. Gender-based violence of every kind is on the rise, for example, sexual harassment and rape. It is relentless. It is horrifying to think about what people have to put up with in life.

It is up to us. For the next 16 days, I urge all Senators to talk to their friends and colleagues when sitting with them at the bar and to ask themselves how they as human beings can work to support their friends and colleagues if they are going through this at home. I call on Senators to support their local refuges, Safe Ireland and anyone they think might be going through this. I have no doubt that there are people in this House who are going through it.

I am fundraising for Women's Aid Dundalk. I will send Senators a donation link if they want to support it. It does incredible work in Dundalk and elsewhere in north County Louth. We have a fantastic refuge and system. Women's Aid Dundalk has worked against all odds for the women and children of north County Louth to create a space that is a safe place and safe home for them to go to and to give them a better life.