Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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1192. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he is aware of Operation Encompass as an early intervention strategy to provide immediate support for children impacted by domestic abuse (details supplied); and the progress made towards the implementation of this programme. [12247/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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As part of Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy on Domestic Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, action 2.5.2 commits to “complete examination of the potential application of an approach on the lines of Operation Encompass in an Irish context”. My Department has engaged with the Department of Education, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and with An Garda Síochána on the issue.

Operation Encompass involves the police service making a notification directly to teachers/principals within 24 hours of being called to a domestic violence incident in which children were a factor. The practice in the UK, which involves police and teacher collaboration, differs from how cases are dealt with in this jurisdiction where contact is instead made with social services, i.e. with Tusla.

In this jurisdiction, Garda policy provides that Tusla are to be notified of every domestic abuse-related incident affecting or involving children, which is not the case in other jurisdictions. Due to this different institutional landscape, it is important that all aspects are fully considered prior to the introduction of a programme such as Operation Encompass.

Work is ongoing to scope out and develop an operational framework to introduce Operation Encompass in the Irish system, in consultation with relevant stakeholders. This includes identifying legislative changes required to enable An Garda Síochána to share information and clarifying obligations in respect of the person receiving that information.