Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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598. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the budget allocation in 2021 to roll out the comprehensive coercive control training programme by her Department for An Garda Síochána, Courts Service personnel and legal professionals, as committed to in the programme for Government; if the provision for the training programme has gone to tender; the mechanism by which it will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34686/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government outlines a commitment to invest in a comprehensive training programme for professionals who may have contact with a victim of coercive control, including An Garda Síochána, legal professionals and courts services personnel.

I can assure the Deputy, combatting all forms of domestic abuse and sexual violence continues to be a key priority for me. In Budget 2021 I have secured an additional €2.3 million to support the implementation of ‘Supporting a Victims Journey’which is a detailed action plan for delivering on all of the O’Malley recommendations. Together these recommendation will ensure our criminal justice system empowers vulnerable victims, including victims of domestic and sexual abuse, to have the confidence to report an offence, and to know they will be supported, informed and treated respectfully and professionally for the entirety of the difficult journey they have to face.

‘Supporting a Victims Journey’will be implemented as a priority and include the provision of specific training for all of the key personnel a victim comes into contact with during the course of their journey throughout the criminal justice system. Such personnel includes the Gardaí, the DPP, the judiciary and the legal profession. Engagement on development of training programmes for serving Gardaí, the legal professions and members of the judiciary who are participating in sexual offences investigations and trials has already started, and I expect this training will be rolled out in 2021.

The reason I set such an ambitious timeframe for the presentation of the O’Malley, implementation plan, a mere 10 weeks, was to ensure that any estimated costs appropriate to Budget 2021 could be included by the relevant Departments in the estimates process. The key point to this work is that victims should be supported in a comprehensive way and this is a core obligation of the criminal justice system, rather than an add-on or an additional cost.

The Deputy may also be interested to know that the rollout of the Divisional Protective Services Units (DPSU) within An Garda Síochána is now complete with DPSUs in every Garda division across the country. The completion of the rollout of DPSUs means that specially trained officers are available nationwide who will be responsible for engagement with, and interviewing of, vulnerable victims. This will ensure that when vulnerable victims of crimes such as domestic abuse and sexual violence present to Gardaí, they are met with specialist professional and expert assistance.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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599. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her officials have initiated the drafting of domestic homicide legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34687/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The introduction of legislation to provide for Domestic Homicide Reviews is an important commitment in the Programme for Government. One of the elements that will feed into delivering on this commitment is the independent study commissioned by my Department into familicide and domestic homicide reviews. This independent specialist research is looking at international best practice in the conduct of domestic homicide reviews with a view to making recommendations in relation to their application in this jurisdiction.

Ms Maura Butler, who is a solicitor and has been a member of the Study’s Advisory Group since its establishment, agreed to take responsibility for leading completion of the study, following the sad and untimely death of Norah Gibbons, who was previously responsible. I met recently with Ms Butler to receive an update in relation to this work but I would stress the importance of recognising that the Advisory Group and their work is independent, and my Department is not involved in the work of the study nor is it a member of the Advisory Group.

I have asked Ms Butler to update me again on progress made later this month and I expect to receive the report from the Group before the end of the year. I look forward to examining the report in detail and I will consider any recommendations made as a priority.

In parallel to this study, An Garda Síochána is currently conducting a review of the investigation of certain homicides, which includes a number of domestic homicides, and is developing policies and procedures to inform the overall policing approach to domestic homicides.