Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

559. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the timeframe for ratification of the Istanbul Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1045/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I and my Government colleagues are totally committed to tackling violence against women and domestic violence.

The Programme for Government commits to full implementation of the Istanbul Convention. This Convention is a significant legal instrument in tackling violence against women and domestic violence. Many of the actions required by provisions in the Istanbul Convention are being implemented on a daily basis under current legislation and administrative practice. The actions necessary to ratify the Istanbul Convention are contained in the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2016-2021, published in January, 2016.

The implementation of most of these actions is underway including public sector training/education by a range of State agencies, the development of a Risk Assessment Matrix by An Garda Síochána, commissioning of a national helpline service to respond to issues of domestic and sexual violence, and support for child witnesses.

The remaining outstanding actions are legislative and require delivery of two pieces of legislation:

i) The Domestic Violence Bill which was published on 3 February 2017. The Bill has passed all stages in the Seanad and Second Stage in the Dáil. Committee stage is expected to commence shortly in the Dáil. It is hoped that this Bill will be enacted early this year. The enactment of this legislation is key to advancing the ratification of the Istanbul Convention as its enactment will deliver four of the actions required under the Istanbul Convention.

ii) The one remaining legislative action is the enactment of legislation for extraterritorial jurisdiction. Work on this action is underway and it is anticipated that this legislation will be published in the first half of 2108. 

When the required legislative actions are implemented, Ireland will be in a position to ratify the Convention.