Cllr Sinéad Flynn has proposed that Monaghan County Council write to the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee and the Taoiseach Simon Harris, insisting that the government adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Cllr Flynn put forward the motion in conjunction with the White Ribbon event held in Monaghan Town at the start of October and coinciding with the Women's Safety Audit events which took place throughout the county last month also.
According to recent figures, Monaghan and Cavan has the highest rate of gender based violence outside of Dublin. While over half of refuge centres around the country are at capacity, 9 counties including Cavan and Monaghan are without a centre. Speaking to Northern Sound, Cllr Flynn has "urged" Minister McEntee to call for the urgent provision of emergency accommodation for victims of domestic violence in Co Monaghan. She added that gender based violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in any form.
"We all have a crucial role to play in reducing gender based violence, we must change social attitudes and behaviours, we must call for stricter laws to protect victims and we must ensure appropriate resources are put in place," explained Cllr Flynn. "We call on the Minister for Justice to initiate a review of all sentencing practices and for the urgent publication of clear sentencing guidelines. The appropriate resources must be put in place, so there are sufficient Gardaí and court services to prosecute cases. Women are demanding nothing less than a truly zero tolerance approach. Let our message be clear, gender based violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in any form. Government must follow through with the urgent action that is clearly needed."
