Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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807. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of emergency calls to An Garda Síochána reporting domestic abuse, by county and-or Garda district, in 2024. [2537/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a priority for this Government, for the Department and for the Garda Commissioner. 'Zero Tolerance,' the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV), set out an ambitious five-year programme of reform to achieve a society which does not accept DSGBV or the attitudes which underpin these crimes. The Strategy, which was co-designed with the sector, also has a significant focus on improving the system for victims of these terrible crimes and on ensuring there is a full range of supports and services available nationwide to support and empower victims and survivors.

An Garda Síochána and my Department are continuing to work hard to strengthen trust and confidence in the system, so that victims will feel confident in coming forward to report what has happened to them and get justice.

An Garda Síochána prioritise and proactively respond to incidents of domestic abuse and the nationwide roll out of Divisional Protective Service Units (DPSUs) ensures that when vulnerable victims of crimes such as domestic abuse and sexual violence present to Gardaí, they are met with a consistently high standard of specialist, sensitive, professional and expert assistance. There is now a DPSU in every Garda Division.

Legislative action has also been taken to combat all forms of domestic, sexual and gender based violence, including by introducing new stand-alone offences of stalking and non-fatal strangulation and by doubling to 10 years the maximum sentence for assault causing harm, this being one of the most common offences in domestic violence cases and also commenced parts 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 which, among other things, improve supports for victims.

An Garda Síochána have provided the following breakdown of emergency domestic abuse calls to AGS by Garda Division for both 2023 and 2024 (at the link below). The Deputy is advised that 'districts' are no longer in operation due to the current implementation of the new Garda Síochána Operating Model. I am further advised that 28 cases in 2023 and 100 cases in 2024, included in the overall totals, relate to National Specialist Units, and not to Regions/Division.

One of the key objectives in the Zero Tolerance Strategy is to encourage victims of domestic violence to come forward and to report the crimes that are being committed against them. This is an important step because historically there has been an under reporting of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. I want to reassure anyone who is a victim, or at risk of, domestic or sexual abuse that help continues to be available. I urge anyone who is in fear or danger due to domestic abuse or any other crime, to please contact the Gardaí as soon as you can do so safely.

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