Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 February 2023
81. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the zero tolerance towards violence against women policy, in particular the progress made in the implementation of actions under the 4 pillars of the Istanbul Convention. [7510/23]
View answerZero Tolerance, the Government’s Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV), published by Minister McEntee last year, is an ambitious five-year programme of reform to achieve a society which does not accept DSGBV or the attitudes which underpin it.
The Strategy is built on the four pillars of the Istanbul Convention. The accompanying implementation plan, which runs to the end of this year, sets out 144 detailed actions which are assigned to a number of department and agencies across Government. Subsequent implementation plans will be published annually during the lifetime of the Strategy.
I am pleased to report that progress is being made and that I will publish regular updates on each of the 144 actions.
A key part of implementation will be the establishment of the new statutory Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Agency which will ensure a permanent and dedicated focus on this important area of work. Last week my Department led a co-design workshop with civil society partners and in the coming weeks I will seek the Government's approval for the draft General Scheme of the Bill to establish the Agency. Following approval, the Bill will be drafted as a matter of priority with the intention that the Agency will be established in January next year.
As the Deputy may be aware, the guidance issued from the Istanbul secretariat sets out a recommended standard for the provision of shelter places which this Government is committed to reaching. Over the lifetime of the Strategy we will double the number of refuge spaces, bringing it to 280. This will be the fastest ever expansion of refuge spaces and will take us a significant way towards reaching the recommended Istanbul level.
In order to achieve this ambitious goal, we are working with all stakeholders to put in place the necessary structures and supports to accelerate the delivery of additional refuge accommodation year on year.
Work undertaken to implement the Strategy has already prepared the way for this, including through the development of agreed processes and approaches that will support organisations to deliver the highest standard of refuge accommodation in the most efficient and holistic way.
The Government has agreed to prioritise the delivery of 98 refuge spaces in Sligo, Cavan/Monaghan, Cork City, North Cork, West Cork, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Westmeath, Portlaoise, Balbriggan Longford, Carlow and Offaly. In the initial phase of this work, we expect to have delivered 24 places in Wexford, Dundalk and Navan in 2024.
There has also been significant progress on the legislative front. I am progressing legalisation to double the maximum sentence for assault causing harm to 10 years; introduce standalone offences for stalking and non-fatal strangulation; enact the Sex Offenders Bill to improve the monitoring of sex offenders; and introduce a new Sexual Offences Bill to update the law around consent.
I can assure the Deputy that the Government’s commitment to implementing in full this ambitious Strategy will not waiver and I look forward to shortly bringing forward the legislation to create the new Agency, which will ensure a permanent and dedicated focus on this important area of work.
