Yesterday, I raised the plight of renters with the Taoiseach in this Chamber. I hate to say I told you so, but today's daft.ie report confirms the recent record surge in rents and a particularly sharp rise in Galway, proving again just how badly the Government is failing renters. Today, I wish to raise a different matter with the Taoiseach, a serious matter, namely, the epidemic of violence against women in our country. Yesterday, former garda Paul Moody was sentenced to prison for a terrible prolonged campaign of coercive control against his partner. He has already served a three-year sentence for coercive control in respect of another woman, Nicola Hanney. It is four months since I raised with the Taoiseach the treatment of former garda Margaret Loftus and praised her courage in telling her story of coercive control. Yet, as reported in last week's Irish Examiner, her former husband remains a member of the Garda. In Paul Moody's case, we read of serious failures by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, to take effective action when alerted to his conduct. Yesterday, the CEO of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Rachel Morrogh, stated that record numbers had contacted its helpline last year. At almost 24,000, it was the highest ever. There were over 7,000 first-time contacts. Garda figures show that more than 1,000 domestic abuse reports are being made a week and official statistics represent only a fraction of the true number. Nearly 40% of victims surveyed by the Garda Síochána Inspectorate said they did not report the abuse they suffered and approximately half who did report abuse said they were dissatisfied with how they were treated. This should stop us in our tracks. Far too many women and children across Ireland are experiencing home as not a place of safety, but a place of danger. We have made progress on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in recent years - legislating for the offence of coercive control, Coco's Law, the O'Malley report, and the establishment of Cuan and protective services units in Garda divisions - but we must do more. I have a constructive policy call for the Taoiseach today. Front-line organisations, such as Women's Aid, tell us that financial insecurity and the housing crisis are trapping women and children in violent homes. Many victims simply cannot afford to leave and their abusers know this. That is why the Labour Party and Labour Women are proposing a €3 million safe fund for victim survivors of domestic abuse. This is a practical measure to provide fast financial support for those who desperately need an escape route. It would not be means tested and would provide help when needed, recognising that victims often have only a small window of opportunity to escape. Freedom from violence should not be a luxury and nobody should have to remain in danger because they cannot afford to leave, just as no victim should lose faith in the justice system because their cries for help are dismissed or delayed. Will the Taoiseach commit to establishing a safe fund to help victims of domestic abuse? What will he do to ensure abusers are not accommodated within the ranks of An Garda Síochána and to see that complaints of abuse are taken seriously by Fiosrú?

Sentiment score: -0.23

I thank the Taoiseach for his response and his commitment to strengthening supports further. The reality is the institutions of the State, in too many ways, are still not supporting victims of abuse. I will give two examples. First, hours were spent at the justice committee yesterday debating laws on the disclosure of counselling notes in rape trials when we all know that simply should not happen. Deputy Kelly has been working with the Minister and putting amendments on that, and indeed working with the Rape Crisis Ireland on it. Second, perpetrators of domestic violence in far too many cases are using the courts by way of abusing victims further. Last week, I attended the launch of the Right to Transparency campaign at which we heard harrowing testimonies from women and their families who have been through the family court system. One grandfather described how his daughter had fled an abusive relationship barefoot in her pyjamas with a broken jaw. Her abuser received a sentence, but a suspended one, in the criminal courts. His daughter was imprisoned because her traumatised child had refused overnight access visits. That is just one example. The in camera rule is an important facet of family law proceedings but we need to acknowledge reform of family court procedures is needed-----

Sentiment score: -0.36

-----to support victims and survivors. We are very happy to work with the Government on this.

Sentiment score: 0.36