James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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352. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 1192 of 19 March 2025, if his Department has instructed the Office of Parliamentary Counsel to draft legislation to enable An Garda Síochána to share information and clarifying obligations in respect of the person receiving that information; if not, when that instruction will be forthcoming; if he, having reviewed all of the relevant material on these matters, will confirm whether it is a Ministerial priority for him to see the introduction of a programme such as Operation Encompass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33428/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government commits to "fully implement the Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual, Gender Based Violence Zero Tolerance (DSGBV) 2022-2026". Action 2.5.4 of the Zero Tolerance Implementation Plan 2025-2026 is "to scope and develop an operational framework to introduce Operation Encompass in the Irish system, including identifying any necessary legislative changes and consulting with relevant stakeholders".

Operation Encompass is a police-led, school-based early intervention program designed to support children and young people who experience domestic abuse. This includes where a child has witnessed domestic abuse in the home. It involves police services sharing information with schools about instances of domestic abuse involving a child, allowing the school to provide immediate support the following day and into the future. This information-sharing protocol has been successfully implemented in the UK and Northern Ireland and Operation Encompass was placed on a statutory footing in May 2024.

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, the statutory Child and Family Agency. Under the Children First Act 2015, Tusla must be informed of any concerns about the welfare or protection of a child in relation to domestic abuse in the household. An Garda Síochána policy also 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.

I can confirm that 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.

My Department is engaging with the Department of Education and Youth and with An Garda Síochána on the issue.

In addition, discussions have taken place between my Department and the Education Authority Northern Ireland to learn from their experience of establishing Operation Encompass. My Department has also had discussions with the founders of the UK-based Operation Encompass charity.