Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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30. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to review the legislative gaps in access to safety and protection orders for family members and loved ones who are not residing with a person accused of alleged serious harassment, in view of recent tragic murders. [6973/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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While there is already a range of legislative provisions available for the protection of persons in domestic and other situations it is important that we learn from the particular circumstances of every such tragic death so that we might improve our legislative provisions where necessary.

The Government is committed to introduce consolidated and reformed domestic violence legislation to address all aspects of domestic violence. In this regard, I intend to bring the General Scheme of a consolidated bill on domestic violence to Government early this year with a view to enactment later this year.

My Department has received a number of proposals in relation to the reform of our domestic violence legislative provisions including the extension of the availability of orders to other classes of applicants. All such proposals will be carefully considered during the legislative process for the Bill.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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31. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when the Istanbul Convention will be ratified and implemented here; the action that will be taken to address domestic violence further; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6991/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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My intention is to seek Government approval for Ireland to sign the Istanbul Convention this year. This is a matter of priority for me.

My Department has been working to establish precisely the actions which would need to be taken in order to ratify and implement the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence - the Istanbul convention.

As the Deputy may be aware, I intend to bring the General Scheme of a consolidated bill on domestic violence to Government this year which will strengthen our protections in relation to such violence and along with other legislative amendments underway in my Department will assist in Ireland ratifying the convention.

Other legislation under development in my department which will assist us in becoming fully compliant with the provisions of the convention includes legislation to transpose the EU Victims of Crime Directive.

A further measure under development in my Department which will take cognisance of the requirements of the convention is a new strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence for 2015 onwards.