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Dáil
‹ An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

Garda domestic violence reforms

Summary

Mary Lou McDonald highlighted delays in Garda protective services units and other reforms for domestic and gender-based violence. The Minister said the reforms were major and expected to be rolled out nationwide by the end of the first quarter of next year.

The Road Safety Authority is under the Taoiseach's-----

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Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

I cannot be responsible for the Taoiseach's responses.

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Yesterday marked the beginning of the annual 16 Days campaign opposing violence against women and girls. I want to raise with the Taoiseach a significant delay in the delivery of two important Garda reforms in the area of domestic and gender-based violence. In November last year, the Minister for Justice and Equality told the Dáil that the roll-out of specialised units working with vulnerable victims of sexual and violent crime would be completed by the end of this year. Last week, he revealed that protective services units have been established in just 13 Garda divisions and no update was provided for the remaining six. Garda management also committed to develop and implement a risk assessment tool for all victims of domestic violence and sexual crime by the end of 2019. Again, no revised date for completion of this project has been provided. Will the Taoiseach confirm when both Garda reforms will be delivered on?

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Charles Flanagan Minister for Justice and Equality Fine Gael

These are major reforms, as outlined by the Deputy, involving considerable training and expertise. This is also in tandem with the new divisional model of An Garda Síochána. It is expected that the roll-out will have taken place across the country and the remaining six will be completed by the end of the first quarter of next year. That will include a level of training that is without precedent for An Garda Síochána.

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