Domestic violence plan publication
Catherine Connolly pressed for a date for publication of the completed domestic violence refuge plan. The Taoiseach said he would come back with a specific time and date and reiterated that Ministers were developing a comprehensive national strategy.
I wish to raise domestic violence, in particular page 87 of the programme for Government that commits to the implementation of a plan following a review of the number of domestic violence refuges in the country. That plan has been completed and we are still awaiting its publication. It is a very specific question and I ask the Taoiseach for a very specific reply, as to when the plan will be published. I understand from a series of questions that the plan is completed; it was subject to editing and it was to be published. That was in October, more than a month ago.
Comment on this
I will come back to Deputy Connolly with a specific time and date on the publication of the plan. As I stated earlier, the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, are working together to develop a comprehensive strategy to ensure there is full coverage and protection for victims of domestic violence across the entire country. There are areas at the moment where gaps exist, and the objective is to deal with them.