Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister for Justice, Deputy Harris. It is very welcome to see the Bill in the House and the significant changes it is going to make to existing laws. We live in a democracy and we have the freedom to live our lives, but that is sometimes threatened and our freedom to live our lives as we wish is taken away. When people suffer harassment, stalking and abuse, suddenly they are living in fear and their freedom and security to live as they wish has changed. Of course, it causes distress, mental health issues and psychological impacts due to the violence and abuse.

It is crucial, as was mentioned by the previous speaker, that we understand the behaviours that start at a young age. The Oireachtas education committee did a lot of work around bullying in the school environment in primary schools and secondary schools with regard to how that is tackled. It is very important that we look at how behaviours are tackled, such as bullying at a very young age and how that is being managed within our school environment with parents associations. That is all crucial.

With regard to the Bill, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, launched the zero-tolerance plan and it is very welcome to see stalking as a stand-alone offence with a maximum sentence of ten years. Of course, domestic abuse and domestic violence is a crime hidden behind doors. The Minister, Deputy Harris, might comment on a point that the Minister, Deputy McEntee, was also looking at, which is the provision of refuge places. It is something that has always arisen in Roscommon and in the county of Galway, apart from the city of Galway. County Galway is the second-largest county and we have a lack of refuge spaces for women who suffer from domestic violence and a lack of places for them to go. I know this is a priority and it is something that is being looked at but we need it to happen soon.Related to this is the offence of non-fatal strangulation. This is something that is used around coercion. It is very important that there are penalties for this as well.

The Minister mentioned the memorial for the 89 gardaí who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The most recent was the sad loss of Detective Garda Colm Horkan in Roscommon. This is very close to the hearts of people in Roscommon. Increasing this sentence from seven years to 12 years is important. How do we look at the recruitment into the Garda Síochána? How do we show that there is safety for members in the Garda Síochána? It is crucial that we see an increase because I know there is a challenge. We have many demands in different sectors of our workforce but it is a vocation to become a garda. To be a member of a community, particularly in our rural and country communities, it is a vocation. A garda is a member of that community for a lifetime and even after retirement, gardaí take an active part. How can we encourage young men and women to consider this as a role that is a vocation and one that has a measure of respect in our communities and that it is something that they would consider as their career?

I very much welcome that this is also for emergency service workers. I know from speaking with people who are working in Portiuncula University Hospital emergency department that there has been an increase in the levels of difficulty and assaults in an emergency department environment. These relate to the challenges we are seeing around addictions for alcohol drug abuse. We need to take an holistic look at this. How can we ensure that we have supports for drugs and alcohol addiction centres? The hospital in Ballinasloe is also the hospital for Athlone, for example, and covers an enormous catchment area. We are seeing challenges with aggression in the hospital. Are other supports for that being put in place in towns in an interdepartmental way?

I very much welcome this Bill. I hope it will act as a deterrent. As has been mentioned, the communication on it will be absolutely crucial. We are introducing a safe environment and encouraging people who take this on as a vocation. By helping people in the emergency services and in An Garda Síochána, it will be reflected in recruitment in time to come.