Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
148. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Justice if she will reform the immigration system to protect the victims and survivors of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence who are placed at additional risk given that their residency is based on being a dependent or due to the fact that they are undocumented. [16242/22]
View answerMy Department has put in place Victims of Domestic Violence Immigration Guidelines. The Guidelines rightly state that no one should have to suffer domestic violence and recognise that migrants may have additional vulnerability in this area, as the perpetrator may threaten a victim with the loss of their status if they report the abuse.
Anyone who is the victim of domestic abuse and whose permission to be in the State is linked to their partner, will have the issue of their status dealt with sensitively by the immigration authorities and each case will be assessed on an individual basis.
I would urge anyone in this situation to approach my Department for advice and assistance and I can assure any victim of abuse that they will be supported and protected.
In line with the Immigration Guidelines, an application may be made from inside the State by a person whose immigration status as the dependent of an Irish or foreign national is valid. If the permission is not currently valid, the person may still make an application. One of the standard conditions of an immigration permission granted in the State, is that the holder must be of good character. Engaging in domestic violence would not be in line with this condition and could lead to the revocation or non-renewal of the perpetrator’s own immigration status.If it is the case that the victim is in the State undocumented, it may also be open to them to make an application to the Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme. Further information is available on my Department's website at:
www.irishimmigration.ie/undocumented.
I would also encourage anyone who has been a victim of domestic abuse to reach out for help as soon as it is safe to do so. They can contact the Women’s Aid Freephone Helpline on 1800 341 900. Their Telephone Interpretation Service facility covers 170 languages for callers needing support in their own language. Interpreters are available on the Language Line from 8am–8pm, 7 days a week. They can provide information on support services throughout Ireland. Further information on that service can be found at:
www.womensaid.ie/services/helpline/telephoneinterp.html.
This year, my Department, with the support of the Dormant Accounts fund, will be rolling out awareness raising measures to reach people within marginalised communities in Ireland to inform them of the rights they have under the Victims of Crime Act 2017 and of the Victims Charter. In order to achieve this, my Department will work with various community organisations to adapt various assets and resources for victims of crime in culturally specific ways.
As the Deputy may be aware, I am leading on the development of a new whole-of-Government strategy to combat domestic, sexual, gender-based violence. The goal of the strategy is zero tolerance in our society for violence against women and it recognises the added vulnerability of certain groups of women, including migrant women.
The strategy has been developed in partnership with the sector to ensure it is targeted, comprehensive and effective in achieving all of the goals set out. Last month, I briefed those working in the sector on the progress of the strategy as part of that ongoing consultation, and a wider public consultation run by my Department has recently closed.
The submissions from those working in the sector, and the wider public survey, will now be analysed by consultants to see if any adjustments need to be made before the strategy is finalised.
I intend to bring the finalised strategy to Government in the coming weeks.
