Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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26. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if Ireland has ratified the Istanbul Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42519/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Istanbul Convention is a significant legal instrument in the fight against domestic and sexual violence. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to implement the Convention. Ireland signed the Convention in November 2015.

Since signature, the Government has prioritised work in a range of Government Departments and agencies to implement at an early date the legislative and administrative actions required to enable Ireland to ratify the Convention.

Those actions are set out in the whole-of-Government Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2016-2021,the implementation of which is monitored by a group comprising stakeholders from Government Departments and agencies and non-governmental agencies.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the enactment of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 in May of this year is a significant advancement in the Government's progress towards ratification of the Convention as it delivers a number of essential actions required.

There is one outstanding legislative action required for the ratification of the Convention, which is the introduction of legislation for extraterritorial jurisdiction in respect of offences covered by the Convention. I intend to publish the Criminal Law (Extra-territorial Jurisdiction) Bill by year end. The enactment of this legislation will enable Ireland to ratify the Convention, which I anticipate will be in early 2019.