Victims and Survivors must be able to trust the justice system – Bacik

Labour Leader Ivana Bacik TD has said that this Government must urgently act to restore trust in the justice system for victims and survivors of domestic violence, following deeply troubling revelations about the treatment of former Garda Margaret Loftus, raised by Deputy Bacik in the Dáil today.

Speaking during Leaders’ Questions, Deputy Bacik challenged the State’s response to cases of domestic abuse involving members of An Garda Síochána, and called for clear assurances that abusers will not be tolerated within policing or security institutions.

Deputy Bacik said:

“Women and families across Ireland are living with the reality of domestic violence every day, and they need to know that the State will protect them when they seek help. The account given by Margaret Loftus of her abuse at the hands of her ex-husband, Garda Trevor Bolger, shows how devastating it can be when that protection fails. She has described years of abuse, followed by a lengthy process of seeking justice, that she found as traumatising and damaging as the violence itself.

“Violence against women is a real epidemic in our society. It needs to be addressed at a systemic level. I was proud to work with women parliamentarians, Women’s Aid, Safe Ireland and survivors to introduce the offence of coercive control under the Domestic Violence Act 2018, precisely because abuse in intimate relationships is rarely a single incident. It is about patterns of domination, fear and control. That new law exists because the State recognised its responsibility to address the true nature of domestic abuse. It is unacceptable that there would be any toleration of abusers within the Defence Forces or An Garda Siochana. It is also unacceptable that the first response of An Garda Siochana in Margaret Loftus’ case appears to have been the launching of an investigation into Irish Times journalist, Conor Lally, who reported on this case five years ago.

“The Taoiseach’s response in the Dáil today was disappointing. While his commitment to engage further with me on any necessary legislative change is welcome, he did not address the substantive issues raised, nor did he provide the assurances that victims urgently need. He also did not address the serious issue of the Gardaí launching an investigation into a journalist. Victims must be able to come forward knowing that they will be believed, protected and treated with dignity, not met with silence or institutional defensiveness.

“Labour is calling for clear, enforceable actions to be taken to ensure that neither An Garda Síochána nor the Defence Forces accommodate or retain perpetrators of domestic violence within their ranks. Zero tolerance cannot be a slogan. It must be a reality. Women deserve safety, accountability and justice, and this Government must act now to guarantee that.”