Mary Lou McDonald
Question:877. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to sign the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. [34443/13]
View answerTuesday, 16 July 2013
Questions (877, 880, 900)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:880. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress made regarding the particular difficulty to be addressed in Ireland's consideration of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence relating to reconciling property rights under the Irish constitution with the requirement under Article 52 of the convention, the availability of emergency barring orders. [34446/13]
View answer
Finian McGrath
Question:900. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will confirm when Ireland will ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34830/13]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 877, 880 and 900 together.
Ireland supports, in principle, the aims and terms of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
The provisions of the Convention and the legislative and administrative arrangements that would be necessary to allow signature and ratification of the Convention by Ireland are being examined in my Department in conjunction with the government commitment to introduce consolidated and reformed domestic violence legislation to address all aspects of domestic violence, threatened violence and intimidation, in a way that provides protection to victims.
The development of the consolidated and reformed legislation, including consideration of the Convention provisions, will be progressed as soon as possible having regard to the need for consultations and other legislative priorities in my Department. Cosc, the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence, is undertaking the preliminary work in developing proposals for consideration. Cosc has met with relevant groups from the NGO sector and received some proposals for consideration. Further material is also awaited from the sector. In additional, any potential impediments to ratification of the convention relating to constitutional provisions continue to be examined.
The convention has not yet entered into force as this requires at least ten ratifications, including 8 Council of Europe member states.