More than 20,000 disclosures of domestic violence against women and children were made to Women's Aid last year.

Women’s Aid has described as a “scandal” the delay in the construction of the promised state-of-the-art family courts complex.

GARDAÍ in one division in Co Cork dealt with 128 cases of domestic violence in the last two months of 2010 yet, despite the alarming rise in attacks, no formal complaints were made by any of the victims.

THE Fianna Fáil/Pegressive Democrat coalition has presided over many a fiasco, but its treatment of victims of sexual assault and violence is particularly shameful.