Bacik demands action on Garda response failures

Labour Leader Ivana Bacik TD has criticised the inadequate response from Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan to alarming findings published by Women’s Aid today. 

Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Bacik called for urgent steps to ensure Gardaí uphold a truly “zero tolerance” approach to gender-based and domestic violence. Bacik called for clear measures of accountability for how Gardaí engage with victims – after almost half of survivors surveyed described their Garda experience as unhelpful.

Deputy Bacik said:

“Today’s findings from Women’s Aid paint a deeply troubling picture – one where women experiencing violence are being failed at the most critical moment: when they seek help. These women are brave enough to come forward, and they deserve more than indifference from the State. Gardaí are the first line of defence. If that line is broken, no law can protect victims.

“We need to hear specifics from the Minister. How will Garda performance be measured? What systems will be put in place to guarantee that women will be believed, listened to and supported?

“We’ve heard from survivors who were dismissed or not taken seriously. That failure doesn’t just erode trust – it puts lives at risk.

“Women’s Aid found that nearly 50% of women who sought help from Gardaí last year found the response unhelpful. That’s not zero tolerance. That’s systemic failure.

“The Garda Inspectorate previously revealed wild variation in arrest rates for breaches of domestic violence orders across divisions. And we still remember the horror of over 3,000 emergency calls going unanswered in 2019 and 2020.

“Minister O’Callaghan’s response in the Dáil today simply didn’t meet the moment. We need a robust, measurable framework for Garda responses to domestic violence. 

“The next Garda Commissioner must make this a top priority. But political leadership is needed now. The Minister must accept the findings published today. He must accept his responsibility to deliver consistency, urgency and compassion in the policing response to violence against women. We need training, accountability, and above all – action. 

“I’m calling on the Minister for Justice to immediately publish a framework for Garda response standards to domestic and gender-based violence and to ensure these are backed by meaningful oversight and consistent training.”