Press release
Minister McEntee launches 2024 implementation plan for Zero Tolerance Strategy
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The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has published a targeted 2024 implementation plan for further delivery of Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV).
When launched in June 2022, Zero Tolerance was accompanied by an implementation plan for the first 18 months. Since then, progress has been made across the Strategy’s four pillars of prevention, protection, prosecution and policy co-ordination.
A key action was the establishment of Cuan, the statutory DSGBV agency which the Minister officially opened in February, and Cuan now takes over coordinating and driving the implementation of the Strategy.
Minister McEntee said:
“The overarching purpose of the Strategy is to bring about changes in attitudes and in systems to ensure there is zero tolerance in our society for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.
“The Strategy also recognises and acknowledges the need to provide support for all victims of DSGBV so that Ireland becomes a place where victims and survivors receive quality supports and justice.
“Key actions this year will include work on the National Services Development Plan, increasing refuge spaces and safe homes, progressing legislative reform, evaluating the effectiveness of awareness raising campaigns, and the development of a research and data plan to support collating DSGBV information across government departments and agencies.
“I am heartened by the progress made to date but also mindful that it is a highly ambitious Strategy and that a lot of work remains.
“The collaboration between staff in Cuan and the Department of Justice was key to finalising the structure of this year’s implementation plan. I’m delighted to launch a plan, that it is more concise, and that there is an increased focus on deliverables to help us track and report on progress.”
Priority areas include refuge accommodation, with eight new family refuge units to be delivered this year, a further 25 family refuge units to be under construction by the end of the year, and a strategic plan on safe accommodation for people experiencing domestic violence to be developed, which will include the delivery of more safe homes throughout the year.
There are a number of actions focused on ensuring safer digital, public and workspaces, and to reduce opportunities for sexual and gender-based violence.
Significant legislative reform will include enacting the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill which will ensure anonymity for victims and the accused in sexual offence trials, repeal provisions for sentences to be delivered in public, and make provision for legal representation for victims in certain circumstances.
The Zero Tolerance Strategy is a whole-of-government response to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, and the 2024 implementation plan contains actions for a wide range of government departments as well as various state bodies.
It will be a priority for Cuan to establish strong governance, oversight and reporting structures for implementation. In parallel, Cuan will work with NGO and community partners to co-develop an engagement model that ensures a fully intersectional approach to meeting the needs of victims and survivors, children, diverse and socially excluded groups.
Dr Stephanie O’Keeffe, CEO of Cuan, said:
“Cuan is very proud of the work we have contributed to the 2024 implementation plan, having collaborated closely with our colleagues in the Department of Justice. We look forward to working with more colleagues across the civil and public services sector, so each area can effectively deliver their actions.
“This implementation plan is a major step in enabling us to provide support to victims and survivors of DSGBV, and will help us in our ambitious goal to achieve zero tolerance for DSGBV in Irish society.”
There was significant progress made under the previous implementation plan. Alongside the establishment of Cuan, this also included:
- publication of the Family Courts Bill which provides for the creation of dedicated Family Courts as divisions within the existing court structures
- signing of the Sex Offenders (Amendment) Act 2023 into law
- doubling of the maximum sentence for assault causing harm to 10 years
- introduction of standalone offence of stalking and non-fatal strangulation
- publication of the CSO’s Sexual Violence Survey 2022
- the production of a range of high impact campaigns to raise awareness of DSGBV and signpost victims to supports
