Too often, we speak about domestic abuse as if leaving is a simple choice when for many, it is not. Coercive control and financial abuse mean survivors may have no safe access to money, even if they are in employment themselves. The safe fund policy launched recently by the Labour Party and Labour Women would provide a once-off, non-means-tested and rapid payment delivered in times of emergency and to help people to leave or to help with essential needs for those who have to stay. We already know this model works because front-line services have been delivering it through donations.

The existing supports in situ are vital but, at times, they are too slow and complex in emergencies. This is a practical, life-saving measure. I am calling on the Government to urgently bring forward the proposed €3 million safe fund put forward by Labour Women for victims and survivors of domestic violence. This must be prioritised in the next budget cycle. I acknowledge the Minister's work with Willow Meath refuge.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. In the past week or two, we have seen the Go Purple Day but, more broadly, we should be talking all the time about how the number of women in particular coming forward who are victims of domestic and sexual violence is increasing year on year. In one way, I see it as a good thing because women are coming forward but the figures we are seeing are completely alarming. They highlight the fact that this is an epidemic and that we need to do everything we can to support women to get out of this situation. We need to be open to all proposals, including the one the Deputy outlined.

The Government has introduced different kinds of supports, such as safe houses, the investment in Cuan and the different funding available through different mechanisms, be it from social protection or housing. At the same time, as the Deputy said, this type of money is being allocated through many organisations and associations. If there is a way to put this on a more formal setting, we should absolutely look at this more broadly.

The Social Democrats and I welcome the release of the 14 Irish citizens who were illegally detained by Israel from the Global Sumud Flotilla. I appreciate the updates the Minister provided in today’s proceedings. I listened to closely to them. I asked last week what Israel has to do or what atrocities it has to commit for us to see action from European leaders. Honestly, I have seen in the past 48 hours my answer to that because, apparently, when a fraction of the demonic modus operandi of this Israeli State is inflicted upon European citizens, we see strong responses but this is compared to the ongoing torture of thousands of Palestinian detainees when we see an absolutely muted response. Will the Minister acknowledge the two-tier response we have seen from European leaders? Will she go beyond what she said earlier is a strong message, which the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement would be, to actual sanctioning of Israel and finally holding it to account for the constant breaking of international law that we see?

I cannot be any clearer in my view that Europe has not been strong enough. We have not responded effectively, and that is why we are where we are now. Ireland has not just woken up to this. At an EU level, we have consistently been advocating for the EU to step up and take a stronger stance. That is why we have been advocating - I have been doing so in the past few weeks - for the EU-Israel Association Agreement to be on the table and that we would ban on trade with the illegal settlements. We have finally agreed to sanction violent settlers but we need to do more. Europe has not been strong enough. I welcome the fact that there has been global condemnation of what we have seen this week but we now need to follow it through with action. That is exactly what I am trying to do. That is what I am prioritising.