John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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84. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to provide better protection to victims of domestic violence by ratifying and implementing the Istanbul Convention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17036/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The protection of members of society from domestic violence, sexual violence and exploitation are primary concerns for me and my Department. The Istanbul Convention is a significant legal instrument in the fight against domestic and sexual violence. Ireland is fully supportive of the aims and terms of the Convention and the Deputy will be aware that Ireland signed the Convention on 5 November 2015. The recently published Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to implementing the Istanbul Convention. The 18 legislative and administrative actions which, when implemented, will enable Ireland to ratify the Convention are contained in the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence, which was published in January. A monitoring committee in relation to implementation of the Strategy, which involves the community and voluntary sector, has been established. It met earlier this month and will shortly commence formal monitoring of implementation of the Strategy.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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85. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to amend the Domestic Violence Act to extend eligibility for safety orders to all parties who are or have been in an intimate relationship, regardless of cohabitation, and to provide for emergency barring orders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17037/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Many incidences of abuse in dating relationships are offences under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, including assault, harassment and coercion. The provisions of a statutory definition of dating relationships is problematic. Questions that would arise include issues around when a dating relationship can be said to begin and the behavioural threshold required for a meeting of two people to be classified in such a way. Given the complexities, these relationships have not been included in the General Scheme of the Domestic Violence Bill. However I am seeking legal advice on the issue of including dating relationships in domestic violence legislation.

A proposal in relation to emergency barring orders was included in the general scheme of the Domestic Violence Bill, approved by Government and following legal advice an appropriate provision will appear in the Bill when it is published.