Ba mhaith liom aird an Aire a dhíriú ar fhoréigean baile agus inscne, agus ar an easpa gnímh go dtí seo ó thaobh na ngealltanas a thug an Rialtas dúinne maidir le tuarascálacha éagsúla. I dtús báire, aontaím go hiomlán leis an Teachta Alan Kelly maidir leis an méid atá ráite aige. Tá na pleananna atá foilsithe ag an Rialtas maidir leis na bialanna seafóideach. Rud atá i bhfad níos tromchúisí ná go mbeidh siad deighilteach agus go gcothóidh siad scrios i measc an phobail. Tá sé i bhfad siar an bóthar anois ón teachtaireacht go bhfuilimid go léir le chéile.

I will zone in on the absence of action on domestic violence. I will use my time to agree with Deputy Kelly. The Government's plans are not only seafóideach, but they have serious implications by creating a division among our people, who have helped us to cope with Covid-19 and helped each Government as it learned from its mistakes. Proceeding down this divisive road is unacceptable.

The Government promised two reports on domestic violence. One was on the segmentation of services across Departments and was undertaken by two independent external consultants. It is sitting on a desk somewhere in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth or the Department of Justice. There was also a basic report from Tusla examining emergency accommodation on the ground, but it has not been published. Where does it stand? According to the Council of Europe and depending on the measurement used, we are short between 45 and 350 refuges.

We have worked with this Government and the previous Government. I am sick and tired of making statements on domestic violence. I imagine my colleagues are as well. I believed we had moved on through the promise of two reports, but they have never appeared. The background to this has been the increase in the number of phone calls relating to the horrific rise in domestic violence and the cancellation of phone calls to the Garda's 999 line. The Garda failed to alert the Policing Authority to that until last December and then told the authority that it was only a technical breach. Nine months later, we are now awaiting the results of an internal audit of that.

When will the two reports be published? I do not want any waffle or to be told the background. I am more than familiar with the background. I have read all the reports. When will the two specific reports I mentioned be published and why have they been delayed?

I can commit to Deputy Connolly that the programme for Government and the Government fully recognise the need for additional refuge spaces and the Government has committed to an action plan on this issue. As the Deputy said, Tusla has responsibility for care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Tusla's accommodation review, which currently is being finalised, has examined the current level of refuge provision, the evidence of demand for services and unmet need and has undertaken an analysis of proximity to refuge by local communities. The review will present recommendations on future configuration of accommodation and services which may be required to holistically meet the needs of victims of such domestic violence.

The third national strategy on domestic violence is to be published by the end of this year and will include actions around future investment in refuges. Tusla has been allocated €28 million in funding for domestic violence services this year, which is an increase of €2.7 million on the last year, along with an additional €2 million to specifically address challenges arriving during the pandemic. It is a real concern. The ongoing continuation of this pandemic and the effect it has on mental health, domestic situations and people who are vulnerable to abuse is a chronic concern and a real issue.

There will be no delay within the Government on the part of either the Minister for Justice or the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in publishing the findings of those reports and then acting on it. It has to be part of that wider approach to this health crisis, as we come out of it, to learn lessons and make sure we provide the refuges.

I appreciate the Minister might not know what I was raising today but he has read from a very good briefing document. I asked the Minister not to do that. I asked him not to give me the background. I asked him when the two specific reports would be published. What is the delay with them? I am very familiar with the strategy that is to be published. We have an internal Garda review into the cancellation of phone calls from distressed women, children and men. Is the Minister satisfied with an internal report six months after the Policing Authority was told and longer in terms of when it was discovered?

Can the Minister please tune in to the cost of domestic violence on every level? Perhaps for the men and that mentality about driving the economy, the cost to the economy alone is €2.2 billion at a conservative estimate. The cost psychologically and intergenerationally is far beyond that. The reason I am standing here, as previous colleagues have done, is to get away from the word "chronic", as used by the Minister.

The only time I would use the word "chronic" is in respect of the lack of action. There is a chronic lack of action by this Government and previous Governments with regard to domestic and gender-based violence. I do not want any more words. I want action. The most basic action concerns the two reports that were commissioned. When will they be published?

I wanted to give Deputy Connolly, with respect, the Government position. I wanted to get that accurate because it is a hugely important issue. My understanding is the two reports the Deputy refers to will come to Government within a short number of weeks, that is, within the next two to three weeks. If and when they are agreed by the Government, they will be published and acted upon.

I am glad the Garda Commissioner has apologised for what happened with regard to the cancelled calls. That was not up to the standards we expect from An Garda Síochána. My understanding is the new system for cancelling calls has shown a huge reduction in the number of calls being cancelled. However, that does not excuse or allow us forget what had happened in the analysis which was shown.

I mean no disrespect by not having a specific answer on having the report but I can commit to the Deputy it will be before Government in the next couple of weeks and will then be published and shared with Deputies here and will be acted upon.