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Dáil
‹ Order of Business

Domestic violence legislation

Summary

Gerry Adams asks about promised consolidated domestic violence legislation; the Taoiseach says the matter has been under ministerial consideration and refers to the Government’s wider consultation arrangements.

Ar dtús, ba mhaith liom a rá go seasaim leis an gCeann Comhairle maidir leis an méid a dúirt sé faoi anti-Semitism. Aontaím leis faoi sin. Táim sásta fosta go mbeidh díospóireacht againn faoin White Paper on universal health insurance. Tá sin an-tábhachtach. An féidir linn ceisteanna a chur ar an Aire ag deireadh na díospóireachta sin?

Maidir le reachtaíocht atá fógartha faoi chlár an Rialtais, and the consolidated domestic violence legislation, the programme for Government promises to introduce reformed domestic violence legislation to address all aspects of domestic violence and to do so in a manner that provides protection to victims. When will the legislation be published? At this time women's aid refuges are being closed, including one in Dundalk, which will leave Drogheda women's aid centre as the only refuge for victims of domestic violence covering Louth, Cavan and Monaghan. In addition to the legislation we also need the Government to really help the victims of domestic violence by ensuring that funding for these refuges continues.

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Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

Tá mé buíoch den Teachta as ucht an méid atá ráite aige faoi dhaoine atá ag cur ráiteas amach agus maidir leo siúd atá i gcoinne chreideamh na nGiúdach. Aontaím leis an Teachta agus gabhaim buíochas leis as ucht an méid a dúirt sé faoi sin.

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children will also have an important role in respect of UHI. It will hold hearings in locations around the country so that people can give their views for or against so that we can come back and make this as complete and comprehensive as possible.

In respect of domestic violence, Deputy McDonald was notified on 21 March, I think, of the Government's commitment to consolidate and reform domestic violence legislation. Work is under way to update the 1996 Act. It is planned that the reformed legislation will include provisions on emergency barring orders and safety orders. The reforms will facilitate Ireland ratifying the Council of Europe Convention on Combatting Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence under what is known as the Istanbul Conference. The general scheme will contain provisions necessary to give effect to the EU regulation on mutual recognition of protection measures in civil matters. It is hoped to publish the general scheme before the summer recess. Once that is considered by the Attorney General, it will be submitted to Government for consideration. We can update the Deputy as the process moves along.

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