Written answers
Thursday, 6 November 2025
Department of Justice and Equality
Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence
Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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282. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the most recent annual figures for reported Domestic Sexual and Gender-based Violence, by county, for the past five years; the number of incidents reported to the Gardaí, the number of prosecutions initiated, the number of convictions secured per county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60579/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I have requested the information sought by the Deputy but it was not received in time. I will contact the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.
Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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283. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for an update on the implementation of the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence; whether key targets for 2025 have been met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60643/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) and ensuring that victims and survivors receive the support and care they need is an absolute priority for me. Cuan, the statutory domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) agency is committed to providing safe and accessible accommodation and support services for victims and survivors of DSGBV.
As a core function of Cuan is the coordination of Government actions set out in the Third National Strategy and reporting on their delivery, I have referred the Deputy's question to the Agency for direct response.
Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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284. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new domestic violence refuge spaces delivered in 2025, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60644/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) and ensuring that victims and survivors have access to the support and care they need is a priority for me.
Since its establishment last year, Cuan has been working to accelerate the delivery of safe accommodation across the country, in line with the Government’s Zero Tolerance Strategy on DSGBV.
To date in 2025, 13 new units have commenced operation, 9 of these are in Dublin South and 4 are in Louth.
Following my request earlier this year, Cuan worked with services and partners to assess and review progress and to identify a series of actions to accelerate the delivery of safe accommodation to meet the needs of those fleeing violence.
On foot of this review, completed in spring 2025, and with my agreement, the following safe accommodation target has been set:
52 new family refuge units by the end of 2026
45 new safe homes by the end of 2026
50 new units under construction by the end of 2026
Therefore, by the end of 2026 it is envisaged to have 94 safe homes and 193 refuge units completed, bringing total safe accommodation to 287, with 50 further refuge units under construction.
Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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285. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda training hours delivered in 2025 on the way in which to respond to domestic and sexual violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60645/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I have requested the information sought by the Deputy but it was not received in time. I will contact the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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286. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her Department will provide resources for the creation of structured interagency forums in IPAS centres, to ensure coordination of services, avoid duplication, and enhance accountability in responding to domestic and sexual violence. [60672/25]
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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287. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the measures that will be taken to address the current lack of national data on the prevalence and nature of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence among women in IPAS; and if he will commission a prevalence study similar to those undertaken in other EU states. [60673/25]
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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288. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will ensure that the experience and data emerging from projects such as the Safe Harbour Project are systematically captured and integrated into CUAN's national policy planning, rather than remaining as isolated localised evidence. [60674/25]
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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289. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the safeguards in place to ensure that women disclosing abuse within IPAS are not placed at further risk due to cohabitation with perpetrators or visibility of accessing support services; and if risk assessments are conducted in such cases. [60675/25]
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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291. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the 2014 Reception and Integration Agency policy document on safeguarding international protection applicants from domestic, sexual and gender-based violence has not been reviewed or updated in over a decade, despite significant changes in asylum and displacement trends during that period; and if he will set out a timeline for a full review. [60682/25]
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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292. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the current national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence does not contain a policy statement or detailed actions in relation to asylum seekers and refugees, given that they are identified as a particularly vulnerable group; and if he will commit to rectifying this omission in the next iteration of the strategy. [60683/25]
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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293. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will ensure that future national policy statements on domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence include targeted measures for those residing in International Protection Accommodation Services; and if he will consult directly with specialist services such as a refuge centre (details supplied) in this regard. [60684/25]
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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296. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason formal inter-agency protocols between accommodation providers, NGOs, and statutory agencies on policy statements on domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence response in IPAS have not yet been developed; and if he will commit to the establishment of such protocols on a statutory basis. [60691/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 to 289, inclusive, 291 to 293, inclusive, and 296 together.
Combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) and ensuring that victims and survivors - regardless of their circumstances - have access to the care and support they deserve remain absolute priorities for me and for this government.
The ‘Zero Tolerance’ Third National DSGBV Strategy, which is now in its final phase of implementation, recognises the need to reflect the lived experiences of all of victims and survivors, including migrants, and acknowledges the additional risk factors created by overlapping forms of discrimination.
The Strategy and Implementation Plans include the following action as to address this:
- The development and distribution of online materials which promote awareness of DSGBV services, resources, and national campaigns, with particular attention to hard-to reach groups.
- Development of gender-specific guidelines and a gender sensitive interpretation of the International Protection Act 2015 as per Article 60 and 61 of the Istanbul Convention.
- Engagement with the DSGBV research community to understand the intersectional needs and barriers faced by minority groups.
In particular, IPAS engages with An Garda Síochána and Tusla when DSGBV is reported and each case is considered individually and an appropriate response put in place, for example, if one or both parties require relocation. IPAS always aims to support victims to remain in their accommodation where this is safe for them to do so. Services for people affected by Domestic Violence are delivered through the same channels as for all persons in the State. Reporting requirements and pathways to support are set out in the policy.
I can also assure the Deputy that the International Protection Office, also under my Department’s remit, has in place mechanisms to properly address gender-specific considerations in the international protection process, and to take into account vulnerabilities on the part of certain applicants, including continuing safety considerations not necessarily associated with the person’s claim for international protection. The IPO provides vulnerability training for all its protection staff, in partnership with the EU Asylum Agency and the UNHCR. This training includes assessment of facts and circumstances in gender-related claims, the identification of gender-related international protection needs, including for dependents, and gender sensitive interview techniques.
The Deputy may also wish to note that, in September, Minister of State for Migration, Colm Brophy, signed into effect regulations to facilitate arrangements for survivors and victims of domestic abuse which exempts them from immigration registration fees. Exemptions from the registration fee are provided by law, and while some survivors and victims were already exempt under the previous regulations, Minister of State Brophy has now amended these regulations to expressly include survivors and victims of domestic violence granted an independent permission.
Looking forward, work on the Fourth National DSGBV Strategy is to begin by mid-2026. This process will be informed by the review and evaluation of the 2025–2026 Implementation Plan under the current Strategy. My Department, supported by Cuan, will lead this work through a collaborative approach that draws on the evidence, experience and innovation emerging from across the DSGBV sector, including local and community-based projects.
Under the Community Safety Fund 2023, Drogheda Women’s & Children’s Refuge Centre C.L.G. received €141,464 for the Safe Harbour Project, which is scheduled for completion in May 2026 following an approved extension.
The organisation published an interim evaluation in 2025, which recommended engagement with Cuan to explore how the project’s learning could be developed and mainstreamed nationally as part of an integrated DSGBV response. The project’s final evaluation report, due in July 2026, will offer a further opportunity to capture and apply that learning, particularly as it applies to the experience of women seeking asylum.
I would also note that, as part of Cuan’s remit, it has a dedicated research and data function that collects and analyses information across the DSGBV sector to inform service planning and policy development. The recently established Cuan Hub provides a centralised platform for standardised data collection from funded services, supporting consistent reporting and impact analysis. While there are no plans to commission a prevalence study specific to those in international protection accommodation, Cuan has commissioned the CSO to undertake a national survey on the prevalence of domestic violence, ensuring that policy decisions are underpinned by robust, independent evidence.
I can assure the Deputy that the experience and data emerging from initiatives such as the Safe Harbour Project will be reviewed and, where relevant, integrated into this Department’s national policy planning as it relates to DSGBV.
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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290. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will review the provision of interpretation and translation supports at the initial court application stage for international protection applicants seeking domestic violence orders, given evidence that the absence of interpreters at this stage has led to adjournments and delays in protection. [60676/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) and ensuring that victims and survivors are supported at all stages of their journey within the justice system remain absolute priorities for me as Minister and for my Department. The Third National 'Zero Tolerance' DSGBV Strategy recognises that neither domestic nor sexual violence discriminate based on race, ethnicity, religion, disability, or socio-economic status. It recognises that groups experiencing marginalisation can face specific barriers when seeking to access care and assistance.
Regarding the provision of interpretation and translation supports for international protection applicants seeking domestic violence orders, management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in the exercise of their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution.
The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas at: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie. To be of assistance, I have referred the Deputy's question to the Courts Service for direct response.
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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294. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps CUAN, the national policy statements on domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence agency, is taking to ensure that the development of its new National Services Development Plan adequately reflects the specific needs of women and children seeking international protection; and if ringfenced funding will be provided for dedicated supports in IPAS centres. [60685/25]
Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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295. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if CUAN will develop clear inter-agency protocols for preventing and responding to policy statements on domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence within IPAS, in line with best practice models already operating in other EU member states such as Croatia, Cyprus, and Spain. [60686/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 294 and 295 together.
Combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) and ensuring that victims and survivors - regardless of their circumstances - have access to the care and support they deserve remain absolute priorities for me and for this government.
The 'Zero Tolerance' Third National DSGBV Strategy provides us with the roadmap to achieving these aims and Cuan, the national DSGBV agency, is tasked with driving the implementation of the Strategy.
As the Deputy's questions relate to work to be carried out under the remit of Cuan, I have forwarded them to the Agency for direct response.
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