TDS CALL FOR IMPROVEMENT IN MONAGHAN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES

Strong demands were made at national political level this week for immediate improvements in the resources and facilities available to victims of domestic violence in Co Monaghan. Sinn Féin TDs for Cavan/Monaghan Matt Carthy and Pauline Tully, and Fianna Fáil Deputy for the constituency Brendan Smith, have all made calls for urgent action to address the lack of a domestic violence refuge in the county and to have greater supports introduced for victims and survivors. Deputy Carthy, speaking in the Dáil on a Sinn Féin Private Members Motion introduced following the killing of Ashling Murphy in Tullamore, Co Offaly, highlighted the fact that Monaghan and Cavan were two of the nine counties in the country which were currently without refuge services – despite repeated calls by the locally based Tearmann service for its provision.

“I want to add my voice to the hundreds of thousands of messages of condolences to the loved ones of Ashling Murphy on her tragic death,” Deputy Carthy told the Dáil. “The outpouring of grief that has followed Ashling’s murder has been phenomenal – the spontaneous organisation of vigils across our cities, towns and villages – and the huge numbers of men, children and especially women who turned up in sympathy, solidarity and anger – was simply amazing. “All of us in society, but men in particular, have a responsibility to do our part in ending the violence, the threat of violence, the fear of violence that is the hallmark of the lives of every woman and girl.

“But, all of us in this House have a greater responsibility to listen. To listen to all those who attended vigils and demanded that Ashling Murphy’s death mark a turning point. “To listen to all those women who came on the airwaves to share their own harrowing, often shocking experiences of humiliation, of harassment, of attacks endured while they were going about their daily business. “To listen to those in this house who have…