Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would like to return to the issue of violence against women, which is an issue we have discussed in the Seanad. Yesterday, together with my colleague, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, and other members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, and with the support of Jason Poole, we launched our policy on tackling violence against women. The document is written from the perspective of the victims and their families. It is a comprehensive document that talks about the supports that should be put in place and the responses that are needed from the courts, the Garda and all the other statutory agencies. It is a commitment from this Government and the Minister for Justice to bring forward a third strategy on violence against women and on gender-based violence. We know from the research done by Women's Aid that one in four women in Ireland experiences some form of violence. Typically, that violence is intimate and it is from someone they know closely. More than 50% of those who experience that violence are under the age of 18. It is an issue that largely affects women and young women. I ask that the Leader urge the Minister to bring forward the new strategy.

I would also like to commend those who were raising the issue of the early childhood years challenges outside yesterday. The Minister and the Government have committed €220 million of funding this year, which is welcome, and they have also made a commitment, most importantly, to get to €1 billion in funding by 2028. We need a childcare service that delivers for children, families, workers and employers. I urge the Leader to ask the Minister to come back to this House and update us on his strategy for the provision of childcare.