Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I join others in congratulating the Minister on her great news and wish her and her family well. I welcome this motion to opt in to the EU proposal for a directive on combatting violence against women and domestic violence and say "well done" to the Minister for all the great work she has done on the issue.

Domestic violence is an absolute scourge and one that has certainly intensified during the pandemic. There was a 43% increase in calls to Women's Aid from 2019 to 2020. The increased time spent at home was a burden for us all but for many people it was profoundly dangerous and even lethal. There have been several high-profile cases of femicide in recent years. They were acts of brutality that highlight the continued dangers posed to women by male violence. We have lost women like Nadine Lott, Seema Banu and her daughter, Asfira, and her son, Faizan. These killings are senseless and incomprehensible and leave such extraordinary pain in their wake. This should remind us that for many people, the family home is not a refuge from the challenges and hardships of the world but a volatile and frightening place where they can experience great instability and risk. That absolutely 100% needs to change.

There has been huge progress made on some fronts in tackling this issue. The first successful prosecutions for coercive control are highly significant. It is so important there is now an offence that captures the continuous and multifaceted oppression that characterises abusive relationships. The roll-out of domestic violence training for some gardaí has meant some victims receive much more support throughout their complaint process and this is no doubt welcomed. However, the level of support victims can expect is still inconsistent. That is the concern and it is totally unacceptable. These are people at their most vulnerable who have overcome major psychological hurdles to take action to protect themselves and to make their abuser accountable. They must be able to rely on support that is consistent, professional and victim-centred no matter where in Ireland they are and whoever happens to be dealing with them.

I worry about the fallout of the cancelled 999 calls scandal and its impact on domestic violence in Ireland and worry for the victims whose calls were cancelled. Were they able to get further help down the line? Did they suffer further abuse in the interim? I also worry about the damage it has done to victims' confidence in An Garda Síochána and whether it has produced a chilling effect for people reporting abuse. I am aware there is an independent investigation into the issue under way, as well as an investigation into the effectiveness of Garda investigations of domestic abuse being conducted by the inspectorate. I hope the results of these reviews will provide clarity, transparency and crucially accountability.

Action must be taken in the spirit of this motion to increase the funding made available to groups providing services to victims of domestic and gendered violence and to expand access to safe refuges. Currently, one third of counties have no safe refuges for women and there are no refuges for men who have been victims of domestic violence. A lack of these refuges combined with the inaccessibility of housing creates a dangerous trap for victims of domestic violence. When victims are faced with the prospect of homelessness and they feel forced to stay in abusive and dangerous situations this exposes them to further risks and sometimes ends tragically, as we all know.

It is not just about using the right language or even passing the right laws to punish offenders - to truly tackle domestic violence and violence against women we need to create a society that provides the material basis of women's freedom. That means having childcare, housing and healthcare that is accessible to everyone. We need profound changes to address the route causes of this issue but this motion is definitely a step in the right direction and extremely welcome.