Kathleen Funchion demands action after Ashlyn Murphy murder
Kathleen Funchion spoke about violence against women following the murder of Ashlyn Murphy, urging concrete action and improved services. She called for a joined-up approach across departments, roll-out of relationships and consent education, updated data and sufficient refuge bed space.
Condolences and national impact
She opened by extending sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Ashlyn Murphy and reflected on the wide public shock, vigils and the many words of anger, compassion and sadness expressed since the murder. She quoted psychology professor Arlene Muldoon to underline a pattern that, nationally and internationally, men are overwhelmingly the perpetrators of violence against women.
Patterns of violence and statistics
She cited the World Health Organization estimate that across a woman's lifetime one in three women — about 736 million — are subjected to physical or sexual violence by a partner or sexual violence from a non-partner, and noted that this figure has remained largely unchanged over the past decade.
Support gaps and services
She stressed the importance of immediate practical supports when women reach out for help, and warned that missed opportunities can have fatal consequences. She highlighted gaps in services, noting that nine counties — including one in her own constituency — lack a women's refuge and that required bed space is not available.
Education and prevention
Referencing the Citizens Assembly recommendation on gender equality, she urged the roll-out of sexual education and relationships programmes focused on consent, healthy relationships and gender power dynamics. She called for those programmes to be age-appropriate at primary and secondary levels and said schools must be resourced so they can deliver without discomfort or delay.
Data, history and call for action
She echoed calls from the Women's Council for comprehensive data on women suffering violence and for an updated sexual abuse and violence in Ireland report. Reflecting on the State's past failures with marginal laundries and mother and baby institutions, she warned against repeating mistakes and said the political will expressed in debate must translate into concrete action rather than words.
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First of all, I would also like to extend my sincere condolences to the family and friends and colleagues of Ashlyn Murphy. Lots of words have been spoken since her horrific murder last Wednesday. Words of anger, compassion, love and deep sadness. And there are not really enough words, or the right words, to properly convey how deeply Ashlyn's murder has affected us all and affected and shaken our whole nation. Some words, though, that I would like to share, that were spoken by psychology professor Arlene Muldoon in last Friday's Irish Times, where she wrote, disproportionately, year on year, the pattern is clear nationally and internationally. Men kill women, men assault women, men harass women. Not all men, not even many men, but it is nearly always men, not women, who kill women. There has been so many people, and it has been spoken about by other ministers and deputies, people sharing their stories over the past week and experiences, whether that is jeering, street harassment, exposure, groping, to obviously a lot more serious incidents of coercive control, assault and rape, and all, without exception, at the hands of men. You know, everybody, I think, is looking for change, for the systemic violence perpetrated by men against women to stop. And just before coming in here today, I spoke to a friend whose sister was murdered five years ago by her partner, just to, I suppose, get the family perspective. And one of the things that struck me that they were saying is that it is so important that when a woman is in a situation of domestic violence and reaches out for help, that help is there. Because it might just be a moment where you get the courage to say, I don't think that this is a good situation I'm in. And if that help is not forecoming at that time, obviously, that's a moment missed. So it's really, really important that the resources are there and also that people are sufficiently trained and know how to handle that situation. Because often it is the case, as we know, women get to a stage where they nearly don't believe that they're in such a bad and difficult situation. And when you make that brave move, you really need to ensure that somebody has your back. And what I didn't want to have a whole bunch of statistics in my contribution, I do want to mention that the WHO estimates that across a woman's lifetime, one in three, which equates to 736 million women, are subjected to physical or sexual violence by a partner or sexual violence from a non-partner. And that has remained largely unchanged over the past decade. So we really need to ensure that everything we've seen with the vigils over the last week and all the words spoken here this evening actually result in change and that they are a catalyst for change. One of the things that has been raised and I think it is going to be addressed and I would welcome that is that there isn't one specific department that it falls to so many different areas. We have some of it in children and then obviously justice. So I think that would be imperative to have a joined up approach. We can't have, I suppose, you know, the words, I think everything I've been really struck by so many of the contributions here this evening, but we really do need to ensure that it actually results in action. And I also want to talk about the Citizens Assembly, one of the recommendations that they had in relation to the one on gender equality in relation to a programme around, you know, sexual education and relationships and the role of consent and how important that is. And recognising what is and what constitutes a good and a healthy relationship and about gender power dynamics within relationships. I think that's imperative that we roll out that programme. I think it was an excellent recommendation from them and we need to see that rolled out at primary and secondary school level age appropriate. But I don't think that we, there can't be any more excuses. You know, schools can't feel uncomfortable. We need to resource that and ensure that it happens. We also need an updated sexual abuse and violence in Ireland report. We're waiting for, as it's been referenced by others, but nine counties, one of those is in my own constituency, Carlo, that doesn't have a women's refuge. I know others have said it, but we don't have the required bed space. I also want to echo the calls by the Women's Council about compiling comprehensive data on the number of women suffering violence at the hands of men. It's crucial that, you know, we do get this data together. And I suppose I'm always struck in these debates about our history in relation to women. Since the foundation of the state, we don't have a good history in relation to marginal laundries and mother and baby institutions. And we cannot keep, you know, repeating mistakes and continuously have debates in here where we are shocked and outraged. We have the power as legislators to make really progressive change. It's not going to happen overnight and there's going to be, it's multifaceted. But I think from what I'm hearing here earlier today and this evening, the political will seems to exist across the board. And I think we should really, really, you know, sort of take that now and actually ensure that it is action and not just words. Thank you. Thank you.
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