Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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187. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will support a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36829/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Government have recently approved signature of the Istanbul Convention and the necessary arrangements are in train with a view to completing signature in the coming weeks.

The Deputy will be aware that the Convention has a very broad scope across a number of policy areas with potential policy and legislative implications. The provisions of the Convention and the legislative and administrative arrangements that would enable Ireland to ratify the Convention have been identified and I have obtained Government approval for the implementation of an action plan which will enable Ireland to ratify the Convention in due course.

It should be noted that the provisions relating to domestic violence in the Istanbul Convention may also be applied to men. During negotiations Ireland supported the application of the domestic violence provisions of the Convention to men. Irish domestic violence laws apply to men as well as to women.

Since its adoption by the Council of Europe in April 2011, the Istanbul Convention has been the subject of numerous press articles, parliamentary questions, public representations and general media coverage.