Key domestic violence strategy in doubt after departments rule out funding it

Dr Niall Muldoon said: "The budget allocated to the Ombudsman for Children’s Office for 2024 was to enable us to continue our current work in promoting the rights and welfare of children in Ireland. It does not allow for any new developments. Photo: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

A key provision in the government's new strategy for tackling domestic violence may not be delivered after the Department of Children appeared to join the Department of Justice in ruling out funding for it.

It was revealed last week that the Ombudsman for Children's Office (OCO) had written to Justice Minister Helen McEntee "reluctantly" asking that his office be removed from the Zero Tolerance strategy, launched last year, amid claims that funding for a specific child-proofing aspect of the strategy was not forthcoming.