Committee was kept in the dark about domestic violence office

THE Steering Committee on violence against women has expressed disappointment at being kept in the dark about the announcement of a new national domestic violence office.

Later today Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is scheduled to join Tánaiste Michael McDowell in announcing the creation of the office at the launch of the long-awaited National Women’s Strategy.

Reacting to strong criticism regarding the timing of the announcement at the launch of a manifesto on domestic violence yesterday, Women’s Aid Director Margaret Martin said the concept of a domestic violence office had been mooted at previous meetings but that no time frame had been agreed.

Ms Martin said she could and would not comment in detail on the proposal until she saw in detail what was being suggested.

National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) Officer Orla O’Connor went further, however, and said the NWCI hoped the lack of discussion prior to the announcement of the domestic violence office did not set a precedent for how any future agency would treat the sector.

Opposition parties were even less restrained and suggested the establishment of the office weeks before the election was simply “cynical electioneering”.

Labour Party deputy Jack Wall said the timing was an insult to thousands of victims around the country.

“This is a Government which for four years could not find €70,000 to fund the Women’s Aid help-line when it was producing a €5billion budget surpluses.

“It is an absolute disgrace that they would use some of the most vulnerable people in society as an election tool,” he said.

Mr Wall pointed out that it is ten years since the release of the Task Force Report on Violence Against Women by the outgoing Fianna Fáil/Labour Party coalition.

He suggested the majority of its recommendations were not acted upon during the life of the Fianna Fáil/Progressive Democrat Government.

Fine Gael Social Affairs spokesman David Stanton said the announcement is an election stunt.

“This is just so cynical. I put down the parliamentary question looking for complete Garda figures on domestic violence in October and I have still not got an answer back, that is the level of commitment this Government has to the victims of domestic violence,” he said.

Sinn Féin’s Aengus O’Snodaigh said that while he welcomed any action aimed at tackling domestic violence the timing was suspicious.

Meanwhile, it seems certain that after a five year wait the Women’s Strategy will also disappoint women’s groups by failing to set targets for the representation of women in political parties and public appointments.

The National Women’s Council of Ireland had lobbied for similar gender quotas to those working successfully elsewhere in Europe.

However, the Irish Examiner has learned these will not feature in the document when it is launched today by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, Minister Mary Coughlan and Minister for State Frank Fahey.

Will your party…

WHAT you need to ask your election hopefuls on the doorstep.

Increase the Health Service Executive’s budget for front line support services by €2.5million?

Amend the Domestic Violence Act to afford unmarried couples better protection?

Introduce training for judges dealing with family law cases?

Monitor and evaluate the work of the gardaí in this area of crime

Develop a schools’ programme addressing domestic violence and developing healthy relationships?

Commit resources to services dedicated to ethnic minority women?