Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)

That is a really good point. Perhaps we should not wait until there is a national programme of training. We should all take it upon ourselves to get training and advice on how to deal with these situations. They are such sensitive matters. At what point should we contact An Garda Síochána? Are we fully aware of all the refuges and shelters for victims of domestic abuse in our areas? All of that comes into account. There is a bit of pressure on us as well to make sure we do the right thing because we have someone who is generally in quite a vulnerable position. All I can say is that I will talk to the Minister about the idea of a national training programme for all public representatives, not just those in local authorities. The message from the Senator is that, with the likes of Saoirse Domestic Violence Services providing this training, there is a bit of an onus on us to reach out, train ourselves up and become more qualified so that we can deal with these situations with more confidence. I thank Senator Costello again for raising this matter.