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

While this is obviously a key priority for Jason, I know there are many other issues he has been focused on and I am pleased to work with him and many others to make sure we can make those changes. We have seen an increase in reports and numbers of people going to the Garda reporting domestic violence and sexual offences over the last year. We can look at that in two ways. First, unfortunately with Covid-19, there have been new cases as well as an increase in violence across the board. Second, I see it as a positive in that more people are coming forward.

The whole focus of so much of what we are doing is that we can encourage people to come forward where they are victims, separate from prevention which is absolutely key, and that when people do come forward that as many measures as possible are in place through the criminal justice system and the courts system in support from individuals who come into contact with victims and survivors. It is just one part of a wider puzzle that would help and hopefully support people to get themselves out of difficult situations or to prevent them from getting into potentially very critical situations. This is a priority for me and something I will continue to work on.