Justice minister welcomes rise in number of domestic violence incidents reported to gardaí

The 'Always Here' awareness campaign contains an interactive map where people can find local services in their county

Minister for justice Jim O'Callaghan: 'In terms of my budget priorities, I would like, obviously, to ensure that there's sufficient resources available for the excellent work that Cuan is doing.' File picture: Noel Browne

Minister for justice Jim O’Callaghan has said that an increase in the number of domestic violence incidents reported to gardaí should be welcomed, as he encouraged others to come forward.

The Department of Justice launched a new stream of the 'Always Here' awareness campaign to help survivors and victims of domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence.

The campaign website has information on national helplines for both men and women subjected to domestic and sexual violence.

It contains an interactive map where people can find local services in their county, as well as information on supports for people who are under 18, and for older people and those with disabilities.

It also contains information on how to make a safety plan, or what to expect in a criminal trial.

As reported by the Irish Examiner earlier this month, the number of domestic violence incidents reported to An Garda Síochána has risen by 162% in the last eight years. A total of 49,230 incidents were reported in 2024, up from 18,782 in 2016.

When these figures were put to Mr O’Callaghan, he said it should be seen as a positive step that women and men are coming forward to report domestic violence.

“In many respects, I welcome the fact that people are coming forward,” he said. 

Part of the reason why we're launching this campaign is that very many women have felt that they don't have that option of reporting it or getting support from the statutory agencies.

“As we see Cuan [the domestic violence agency] rolled out and become more effective, as Government and I give greater voice to the rights that women have and the responses that are there for the services, we will see more people coming forward.

“In terms of my budget priorities, I would like, obviously, to ensure that there's sufficient resources available for the excellent work that Cuan is doing. In terms of refuges and safe houses, we're getting the numbers up significantly, and I want to see that continue.

“But what is also important is that we don't just focus on this issue in terms of my responding to domestic, sexual, gender-based violence as though it's about how many refuges I can get. There's a much broader response to us, as evident today.”

You're Not Alone campaign

Mr O’Callaghan said that the 'You're Not Alone campaign' is “an extremely important campaign” as it lets people who are victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence know that they can “get help and that they can report it and that it will be properly investigated”.

“It's an essential part of the work that's been done by my department through Cuan. It's something that I am committed to, to ensure that we have supports in place for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence,” he said.

The new strand of the multimedia campaign will run nationally over the coming six weeks across TV, national and local radio, digital and social media.

It will also see a “major out-of-home” campaign on billboards and digital screens throughout Ireland.