Gerard P. Craughwell: Men Must Speak Out on Domestic Violence
Gerard P. Craughwell spoke this morning in the chamber, urging men to take a more proactive role in confronting domestic violence after a meeting on violence against women. He cites 2025 Garda figures and long-term fatality totals to press for a parliamentary debate and clearer protections for victims.
Gerard P. Craughwell highlights recent figures: 21,000 calls to the Gardaí in 2025 for domestic violence incidents and 277 women killed by domestic violence since 1996, 63% of them in their own homes. He uses these statistics to underline the scale and persistence of the problem.
Craughwell describes the knock-on effects for women and children forced to flee abuse: financial hardship, loss of access to joint accounts, trauma for children who still love both parents, and long-term coercion that can last decades.
He urges men to speak openly about domestic violence among friends, colleagues and relations, and proposes a debate in the house to clarify the scope of coercion and other harms. He frames male engagement as essential to reducing violence.
Craughwell closes by congratulating refuges and shelters that support women and children, while emphasising that systemic change and greater awareness among men are still urgently needed.
Key statistics
Gerard P. Craughwell highlights recent figures: 21,000 calls to the Gardaí in 2025 for domestic violence incidents and 277 women killed by domestic violence since 1996, 63% of them in their own homes. He uses these statistics to underline the scale and persistence of the problem.
Hidden consequences for families
Craughwell describes the knock-on effects for women and children forced to flee abuse: financial hardship, loss of access to joint accounts, trauma for children who still love both parents, and long-term coercion that can last decades.
A call for male responsibility and parliamentary action
He urges men to speak openly about domestic violence among friends, colleagues and relations, and proposes a debate in the house to clarify the scope of coercion and other harms. He frames male engagement as essential to reducing violence.
Acknowledgement of services
Craughwell closes by congratulating refuges and shelters that support women and children, while emphasising that systemic change and greater awareness among men are still urgently needed.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Other speeches
Tego samego dnia All speeches from this day →
Joe O'Reilly
Joe O'Reilly: Urgent call for a refuge in County Cavan
Martin Daly
Martin Daly: Personal Assistance Over Reinstating Institutions
Michael Collins
Michael Collins demands end to CPOs for greenways
Martin Daly
Martin Daly: Why Ireland Needs Public Sexual Health Clinics
Richard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett: EU hypocrisy on Ukraine and Palestine
Albert Dolan
Albert Dolan: Clarify Ireland's AI Bill Now
Transcript
Go raibh maith agat, Cathaoirleach. This morning, Acting Leader, you'll be aware of the fact that there was a meeting regarding violence against women. And one of the comments that was made to me as I was passing the AV room was that enough men don't speak out about violence, domestic violence particularly. And when I look at the statistics for 2025, 21,000 calls to the Gardaí for domestic violence incidents. When I look at the statistics, 277 women have died as a result of domestic violence since 1997, sorry, 1996. And of those 277 women, 63% of them died in their own homes. These are shocking statistics. But as we delve deeper into this, we find that convicted murderers go through such things as seeking custody of children, go through such things as seeking the property, the value of the property and other assets to be ring-fenced and mined or taken care of for them until they are released into society again. I don't believe any of us men can understand what it must be like for a woman to pack up her two or three children in the middle of the night, leave the house and go to one of the wonderful refuges that there are. And I am grateful that there are refuges there that these women can go to. But just think of the consequences the following morning when they wake up. First and foremost, the children probably love their father as much as their mother. And then they wake up and they love their father as much as their mother. So there's trauma there. There is the situation, the woman is penniless more often than not. Bank accounts, even if they're joint bank accounts, become difficult to access. The man stays in the home. I'm aware of a few instances of not domestic violence, but the coercion of a couple. I'm aware of situations where in one particular property was re-mortgaged on the understanding that the money was needed to save a business. And when the mortgage check was drawn down, the man in question walked with the money in his pocket, leaving the woman to face all sorts of financial crisis, et cetera, et cetera. That went on for 19 years in that woman's life, 19 years of torture, trying to figure out how she was going to survive with her children. So I do think that maybe the comment that was made to me this morning is just a passing comment. Maybe the time has come for men to take a more proactive approach when it comes to domestic violence. We should talk about it amongst ourselves. We should accept the fact that there are colleagues, friends, relations who appear on the outside to have perfectly normal, happy lives. And very often there is horrendous violence taking place in the background. Coercion, probably the most difficult thing to deal with in a situation like that. So I think maybe we should have a debate in this house on domestic violence, and maybe we should look for some clearer indications as to exactly what's involved. And just congratulations to the shelters that provide refuge for these women. Thank you very much.