Written answers
Thursday, 3 July 2025
Department of Justice and Equality
Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence
Paula Butterly (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context
59. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if, given the notable increase in rape and sexual assault cases in the Louth-Cavan-Monaghan area, he will outline any planned preventative programmes to stem this concerning rise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36376/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context
As Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, I am absolutely committed to combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV), and to ensuring that the victims of these crimes have access to the appropriate supports.
Any increase in reported cases of rape and sexual assault, while deeply concerning, may also be evidence that greater numbers of people feel confident to come forward, share their experience, and seek support.
Significant work to improve a victim's engagement with the justice system has already been undertaken, including through the implementation of ‘Supporting a Victims Journey'; a detailed plan to give effect to the recommendations made in the O'Malley Review, which was published in 2020.
This work has been brought forward in 'Zero Tolerance', the Third National Strategy on DSGBV, the government's five-year programme of reform structured around the four pillars of the Istanbul Convention – Protection, Prevention, Prosecution and Policy Co-ordination.
Cuan, the DSGBV agency, is responsible for driving and implementing all actions set out in the Strategy.
A key objective of the prevention pillar is to enhance public understanding of all forms of DSGBV as well as to educate society regarding the harm it causes.
I recently brought the final implementation plan for the Zero Tolerance Strategy to Cabinet.
Among 95 actions, it provides for preventative measures such as awareness campaigns on sexual consent and pathways to safety, including the new national public awareness campaign on DSGBV, ‘Hardest Stories’, which I launched in February.
Other recent awareness campaigns include:
- 'Serious Consequences', which deals with intimate image abuse.
- 'Always Here', which raises awareness of the services available for victims of DSGBV.
- 'Let’s Have the Consent Conversation', which aims to generate a national conversation on consent in sexual relationships.
The nationwide roll out of Divisional Protective Service Units (DPSUs) in Garda Stations across Ireland, a key measure under Supporting a Victim's Journey, ensures that when vulnerable victims of crimes such as sexual violence present to Gardaí they can be immediately met with specialist assistance. There is now a DPSU in every Garda Division, including in Louth, Cavan and Monaghan.
The past two years have also marked significant progress in the education system’s approach to relationship education.
With the rollout of revised SPHE specifications across Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle, there is now a clearer mandate for schools to address complex topics with students, including consent, pornography, image-sharing, sexual violence and healthy relationships.
This shift brings Irish education policy more closely in line with international best practice and the commitments of the Third National Strategy.
As I have previously said, DSGBV is mainly perpetrated by men - and it is men who must lead the cultural change required to end it. Zero tolerance should mean just that.
The importance of prevention, particularly with young people, is now widely acknowledged across government, education, and the wider public and is an essential aspect of our collective fight against DSGBV.
No comments